


Sink or Swim

by mdr_24601



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Annie Cresta-centric, Anxiety, F/M, No Smut, Swimming Pools
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:47:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 50,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25629946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mdr_24601/pseuds/mdr_24601
Summary: When Annie Cresta made her first visit to her university's community pool at the suggestion of her therapist, she wasn't sure what to expect.But meeting and growing close to Finnick Odair certainly hadn't been part of the plan.
Relationships: Annie Cresta & Johanna Mason, Annie Cresta & Katniss Everdeen & Johanna Mason & Madge Undersee, Annie Cresta/Finnick Odair, Gale Hawthorne/Madge Undersee, Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark, Peeta Mellark & Finnick Odair
Comments: 44
Kudos: 84





	1. Chapter 1

“I think you should give it a try, Annie. It could be good for you.” Dr. Aurelius adjusted his glasses and looked at her expectantly, waiting for a response. 

Annie inhaled deeply as her fingers drummed restlessly against the side of the leather couch in her therapist’s office. He had suggested that she start swimming regularly at her university’s communal pool to help ease her persistent anxiety. 

The swimming itself wasn’t really the issue. She had grown up on the ocean, after all. She’d been swimming since she could walk. No, the prospect of going swimming again wasn’t what was causing her heart to pound in her chest. 

“It’s a communal pool,” Annie said simply, as though the simple phrase could accurately convey the uncertainty that was building in her chest already. 

“Is that important?”

“Yes,” she responded, slightly irritable. Softening her voice, she said, “Communal pools have people.”

Dr. Aurelius gave her a small smile. “You’re not afraid of people, Annie, last I checked.”

She huffed and leaned back on the couch, the cushions accommodating to fit her body. “I know that. But I don’t like people watching me exercise and communal pools have germs and...children pee in them!” Her voice grew in volume the longer she protested. 

“Children are peeing in your university’s pool?” her doctor asked as he raised an eyebrow. 

Annie deflated. “Well, I suppose not.”

Dr. Aurelius leaned forward, serious. “I understand that you’re nervous, Annie. But I’d love to see you get out of your comfort zone a bit. Change up your routine, do something different.”

“I haven’t even been swimming in years,” she protested weakly, as if it would do any good now. 

“Your body doesn’t forget. It shouldn’t take you very long to get back into it. This week, I want you to go to the pool, swim for a bit, maybe talk to some people, if you want. Then, I want you to tell me about it next time we meet.”

“Okay,” Annie found herself agreeing. “Fine. I’ll give it a try.”

He gave her an assuring smile, crinkling at the corners of his eyes. “Good. Until next week, Annie.”

* * *

“Well, I think it’s a good idea,” her roommate, Johanna, said. “Who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone and you can finally get laid.”

“Johanna,” Annie rolled her eyes and tried to ignore the rising blush on her cheeks. “I’m pretty sure that wasn’t the point of the assignment.”

“Sure, it was.” Johanna poured herself a cup of morning coffee and turned away from the kitchen counter to face Annie. “Come on, when’s the last time you’ve had sex? Or even kissed someone? You need to loosen up. Hell, even your doctor knows it.”

“If he wanted me to loosen up, he wouldn’t have told me to go to a swimming pool. Not exactly the sexiest location, is it?”

She could just imagine the sharp smell of chlorine and shuddered at the thought of even thinking about sex there. 

“I don’t know. A bunch of half-clothed athletes in one area,” Johanna smirked and took a sip of her scalding coffee. “You could do worse.”

Annie sighed, sensing that arguing with Johanna was pointless. “Alright, well, enough of that. Are you doing anything tonight?”

Johanna shrugged. “Don’t know. Maybe I’ll go out with Katniss tonight. She could use some fun, too. Why, you want to come?”

“No, I have a paper to write,” Annie responded, internally grateful for the excuse. Clubs and partying had never really been her scene, anyway. “Maybe next time, though.”

Johanna laughed, clearly seeing through it. “Sure, Cresta. Have fun at the pool.” She finished her coffee and grabbed her purse on her way out the door, leaving Annie alone in the apartment. 

She glanced around the room, searching for anything to do to occupy her time. Johanna’s discarded coffee mug still sat on the counter, so Annie took her time carefully rinsing it out. 

Eventually, though, her patience wore thin and she packed a bag to go to the pool. Ignoring the flashes of panic that made her want to run back home, Annie made the quick walk to the pool. She hadn’t ever gone before; not that it would make the experience any less daunting if she had. 

For a university pool, Annie observed, it really wasn’t too bad. The stench of chlorine was prominent and so very different from the smell of saltwater from home.

Going to college in Ohio hadn’t exactly been on Annie’s plan for her future, but it worked out okay. She was a psychology major, and Ohio State University was, in her opinion, a good place for her to be. 

Even if Ohio was landlocked on all sides without an ocean in sight, and she had to use their community pool. 

It was still early, leaving the pool relatively empty, to Annie’s relief. Her nerves abated, if only slightly. There were only a few people swimming laps as far as she could see, which helped ease the tightness in her chest. She tried to ignore the feeling that everyone was watching her. 

Which was absurd, of course. Nobody noticed her.

Although she hadn’t been properly swimming since starting college, her body remembered the motions. Her strokes cut cleanly through the water, and she soon forgot that anyone else was occupying the pool at all. It wasn’t anything like swimming in the ocean, but all things considered, it wasn’t half bad. 

Annie still had two hours before her first class that day, giving her plenty of time to swim. If she was lucky, she wouldn’t have to talk to a single person. 

After swimming possibly more laps than she should have, she pulled herself out of the water to catch her breath on the edge of the pool. The pain of exertion was a familiar one, and Annie almost wanted to laugh at how natural swimming had felt. 

“Hey, I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.”

Her breath caught in her throat at the sudden interruption. It was a male voice addressing her, and whoever he was sat down to join her at the edge of the pool. Heart racing, Annie said nothing. 

“I’m Finnick Odair,” he offered her a charming smile. Annie took a moment to survey her new companion. 

Bronze hair, tanned skin, and unbelievably green eyes, Finnick Odair was undeniably pretty. He was popular and well-liked, and he had a sort of notoriety on campus for hooking up with girls and leaving shortly after. Finnick was something of a celebrity on campus, being on the swim team. 

And, in all honesty, Annie found him to be mildly annoying. 

“Annie Cresta,” she responded to his introduction. 

“Well, Annie Cresta, what’s a pretty girl like you doing alone in the pool at 9 in the morning?” he asked as he flashed another flirtatious smile. 

“9 in the morning?” she echoed dumbly, the words registering a moment later. “I have class in 30 minutes!”

Annie stood up and hastily reached for her towel, drying off her body as quickly as she could. Her brown hair was still wet so she tied it up into a bun, hoping it didn’t look too ridiculous. 

“Need some help?” Finnick asked, observing her with a slight smile. “Where’s your class? I could give you a ride.”

Under normal circumstances, she would have denied his offer out of both fear and politeness, but Annie didn’t consider these to be normal circumstances. “Sure, okay,” she muttered distractedly, because the walk took fifteen minutes and she was running late enough already. 

“Great,” Finnick smiled and helped her gather the rest of her stuff. She told him the address and he got her there with five minutes to spare. 

“Thank you,” Annie said, slightly flustered. She probably looked idiotic now.

“It’s no problem,” he smiled back.

Perhaps Finnick Odair wasn’t as annoying as she initially thought.

* * *

“You talked to Finnick Odair?” Johanna spoke a little too loudly and Annie winced. 

She picked at her salad halfheartedly before answering. “Yeah, I was running late to class and he gave me a ride so I wouldn’t have to walk.”

“See, I told you that you’d meet someone,” Johanna said with a satisfied smile. It had been her idea to get lunch and get an update on Annie’s outing to the pool.

“It’s not like that. We’re not even friends. We barely talked.”

Johanna shrugged. “Well, he wouldn’t have offered you a ride if he didn’t like you.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Annie said, staring intently at a piece of lettuce. “I don’t like him.”

“Your face says otherwise.”

She felt her face heat up but kept eating. Really, she could hardly say that she liked Finnick. She barely even knew him, after all. How could you like someone you didn’t even know?

“Hey, it’s not a bad thing. He’s hot, he gave you a ride, you’re allowed to like him,” Johanna said. “Besides, you could use someone like Finnick Odair.”

“What does that mean?” Annie asked, trying not to feel offended.

“Just that you need someone to brighten your life up,” Johanna said simply. 

So maybe that wasn’t entirely false. But even so, that person who brightened her life up wasn’t going to be Finnick Odair.

Annie sighed and looked up. “He’s not my type. He’s annoying and arrogant and I don’t like him, alright?”

“Sure,” Johanna said, unconvinced. “Whatever you say.”

* * *

Despite the fact that she ran the risk of seeing Finnick again, Annie went back to the pool. Although she had to deal with the anxiety, it was nice to be able to swim whenever she wanted. What did it matter if she ended up seeing some boy there?

“Annie!” Finnick’s voice called out from behind her. So much for hoping. “You came back.”

“I wanted to swim,” she replied coolly. 

Finnick nodded and laughed softly. “Yeah, I figured. We are at a pool. Mind if I swim with you?”

Actually, she did mind. Annie didn’t like when other people watched her exercise, especially when it was someone as athletic as Finnick. He could see that she was uncertain. 

“You owe me, remember? I gave you a ride the other day.” A beat of silence stretched between them. “Hey, it’ll only be a few minutes. Give it ten minutes, and if you still don’t want me there, I’ll leave. Deal?”

“Okay,” Annie agreed, because it seemed to be the easiest course of action. 

Predictably, Finnick was an amazing swimmer. Somehow, though, Annie didn’t feel entirely out of place next to his perfect technique. It almost felt comfortable, swimming with him. 

“You’re a good swimmer,” he said when they had finished over an hour later. “Sure you’re new to this?”

“I’m not new, actually,” she replied as she dried herself off. “I grew up on the ocean. In California.”

“Really? I grew up in Florida, near the coast, too.”

She caught herself smiling, and understanding for the first time why so many women fell for his charm. “The pool’s nice, but it’s nothing like the ocean.”

Finnick nodded in agreement, and she caught a hint of wistfulness in his expression. “I have to agree with that. You’re really easy to talk to, Annie.”

Annie paused and looked up. Nobody had ever said that about her before, and she wasn’t sure how to respond. “Well, you’re the first to say so.”

“How about we go get a coffee tomorrow?” Finnick asked abruptly. “Here, I’ll give you my number.”

Taken aback, she waited for the familiar twinge of anxiety to come so she could decline. For someone supposedly so smooth with words, that had come out of nowhere. But Finnick was looking at her so hopefully that she couldn’t help but say, “Okay. Yeah, coffee sounds good.”

She could just hear Johanna’s  _ I told you so _ in her head.

His smile made it all worth it. “I’ll text you the details. See you tomorrow, Annie.”

“See you tomorrow,” she echoed back softly, wondering what she had just gotten herself into. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for giving this story a try! I've never written a modern au before (even though I've read plenty) so I hope I pulled it off okay. Be sure to leave kudos, comment, or bookmark if you enjoyed. Stay tuned for future chapters.
> 
> My Tumblr is [@the-sun-and-the-sea](https://the-sun-and-the-sea.tumblr.com/)  
> if you want to come by and say hello. :)


	2. Chapter 2

“Here, try this on.” Madge Undersee tossed Annie a gray sweater dress. “It’ll look great on you.”

“It’s just coffee,” Annie mumbled. Madge gave her a pointed look and she tried the dress on. 

She and Madge had met last year in the library. Although their majors were completely different, they frequently studied together. 

“When has Finnick Odair ever been known to have ‘just coffee’ with women?” Johanna asked from her place on Annie’s bed. 

“He likes you,” Madge said with a bright smile. “And you should go with the dress.”

Beside Madge, Katniss Everdeen rolled her eyes. “I’m with Annie on this one. It’s probably just coffee.”

“Thank you,” Annie said, slightly exasperated. The anxiety was setting in now, and she could feel her palms begin to sweat. It was just a coffee date between friends, nothing serious. No need to be nervous. 

“You’re not exactly the best judge of romance,” Johanna said to Katniss. “A guy could announce that he has a crush on you on national television and you’d _still_ wonder if he liked you.”

Katniss scowled. “I’m just saying, there’s no need to worry about it.”

“I don’t even think he’s interested in romance with me.” Annie stood in front of the mirror and put her jacket on over her dress, surveying the look. 

“You’re a psych major, shouldn’t you be able to sense these things?” Madge asked jokingly. 

“I’m a psychology major, not a psychic,” Annie laughed in response. “Hey, how come you never press Katniss about romance? She’s single, too.”

“They do,” Katniss deadpanned dryly. “You should see Jo when we go clubbing.”

“I’m coming with you next time,” Madge said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. “We can bring Annie, too.”

“Absolutely not.” She grabbed a comb to brush out her dark, curly hair. “I’m not going clubbing with you.”

Johanna snickered softly. “We’ll see how this date with Finnick goes. You might not need to go clubbing.”

Annie huffed in annoyance, though the corners of her mouth turned upward. “Okay, I’m leaving.”

“Have fun,” Madge called as she walked out the door. Before she was out of earshot, Annie heard Madge say, “I still think it’s a date.”

She paused in her steps for a moment. Would it really be such a bad thing if it was a date?

* * *

The walk to the cafe wasn’t very long, but it was long enough to get Annie thinking of all the things that could go wrong. She wrapped her jacket tighter around herself, to protect her from the chilly October wind. 

She arrived at the cafe a few minutes later. Annie ordered a coffee and sat down at a table in the corner. Moments later, the chair on the opposite end was pulled out with a small squeak and Finnick Odair sat right in front of her.

“Hi,” she said with a small smile. 

“Hey, Annie,” Finnick grinned. “You weren’t at the pool this morning.”

“Yeah, I wanted to get ready,” Annie said, wincing internally at how stupid it sounded aloud. “You were at the pool?”

Finnick nodded. “Swim practice.” He sipped his coffee. 

“Oh, right,” Annie responded lamely. A beat of silence passed before she asked, “What’d you order?”

“Vanilla latte,” he said with a smile. “What about you?”

“Black coffee.” 

Finnick winced. “You drink your coffee black? Doesn’t it taste bad that way?”

“A little,” she shrugged, uncaring. “Sometimes I put cream in.”

“See, this is why I get drinks with sugar in them. Coffee tastes horrible plain.”

Annie felt her nerves ease a little as she smiled. They drank their coffee in silence for a few moments, watching people pass by through the window. Regardless of whether or not Finnick liked her romantically, he was easy to talk to. 

“So, let’s get to know each other,” he spoke up. “What’s your major?”

“Psychology. I write papers and do experiments and stuff. It’s all very interesting, really, how the brain works.” She glanced down at her coffee, trying to hide her embarrassment from gushing like that. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” A quick glance up told her that Finnick was leaning forward, engaged in the conversation. “You’re cute when you’re passionate.”

Annie felt her face flush, but ignored it. “What about you? What’s your major?”

“Sport industry,” he replied. Annie nodded. She could see that for him.

“Okay,” Annie grinned, feeling more relaxed, “now that we’ve gotten that very important question out of the way—”

“It is important!” Finnick interjected. “Your major says a lot about who you are as a person.”

“Does it?” she asked lightly, amused. “What does my major say about me, then?”

“You tell me, you’re the psych major,” he grinned. More serious, he continued, “But really, it does. You probably spend a lot of time thinking about things, right?”

Annie shrugged. “I suppose. Maybe you should be a psych major.”

Finnick grinned and Annie couldn’t help but smile back. “I wouldn’t be any good. I’m fine where I am.”

“Well, don’t expect me to tell you what your major says about you,” Annie said, sipping her coffee. 

“Your area of expertise isn’t predicting people’s entire personalities based on one detail?” Finnick asked in mock disappointment. “I guess the online quizzes will have to do.”

She laughed and he smiled in return, green eyes bright. 

“Hey Annie,” he said softly a moment later. “Want to get out of here?”

“And go where?”

“Anywhere. We can walk around.” He stood up and held out his hand for her to take. “What do you say?”

Annie paused. She hadn’t planned to go anywhere but the cafe. But one look at Finnick’s hopeful eyes and outstretched hand, and her mind was made up. 

Gathering her belongings, she took his hand, and they walked out the door into the cool fall air. 

The breeze blew her hair into her face, and she pushed it away with one hand. Her other hand was still clasped securely in Finnick’s, and Annie didn’t believe that she had any intention of letting go. 

“Do you have a destination in mind?” she asked, after a few minutes of walking. 

“Nope,” he answered with a bright smile. “Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination.”

Annie turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow, surprised to hear something so profound coming from him. Finnick laughed at her bewilderment. 

“I read that on my roommate’s inspirational quotes calendar.” 

“Yeah, that makes more sense.”

“I’ve had a really good time today,” Finnick said, sitting down on a bench. Annie joined him. Their hands were still clasped together, now resting in between them. 

“So have I,” she replied honestly. And that was true. Despite her initial anxiety, being around Finnick made her feel strangely comfortable. 

“I’m going to a party tonight. You should come. Bring some friends, too, if you want.”

Annie ducked her head. “Oh, parties aren’t really my thing.”

“You sure? Because I’d love to have you there. It shouldn’t be too big, if that’s what you’re worried about,” he said. 

Annie considered it. How many times had her friends wanted her to get out more? It was only one night, it couldn’t hurt. And, she reminded herself, Finnick would be there. 

“I guess I’ll try,” she said slowly. “Text me the details?”

Finnick nodded and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’m looking forward to it. And if you don’t like it, we can always leave.”

She didn’t miss how he said _we_ , as if they were going together. 

Were they going together? 

Instead of overthinking his comment with him sitting right there, Annie said, “I’ll see you, tonight, Finnick.”

* * *

The bustling crowd moved around her, making Annie’s chest tighten with anxiety. Her eyes immediately scanned the party for Finnick, but his familiar head of bronze hair was nowhere in sight. Her breathing quickened slightly. 

“Relax,” Johanna said from beside her. “You’ll be fine.”

“I don’t even know why I came,” Annie replied. Finnick hadn’t seen her yet; it wasn’t too late to leave. 

“To see Finnick,” Madge supplied cheerfully, her eyes scanning the crowd as well. “Oh, I see Gale. I’ll see you all later.” Madge walked into the crowd to join her boyfriend. 

Katniss glanced around sullenly, looking as though she’d rather be anywhere else. Annie couldn’t blame her. “I’m going to find the food,” Katniss announced, and promptly walked off. 

“Looks like it’s just you and me,” Johanna said, and Annie wasn’t sure how long it would be before Johanna left to spend time with someone more interesting. 

“Annie!”

Her breath caught in her throat as she heard a familiar voice call her name. “Finnick,” she greeted, relieved to see a familiar face. 

Johanna glanced at the two of them and grinned. “And that’s my cue to leave. Have fun, Cresta.”

“Thanks for coming,” Finnick said with a smile, reaching for her hand. “I know you said parties weren’t your thing, but I don’t really have any friends here.”

“Aren’t the swim team guys here?”

Finnick nodded. “They are, but we’re not exactly friends. I mean, we get along alright, but I wouldn’t consider us to be friends.”

“Oh,” Annie said softly. “Well, I don’t usually go to these things, so I’m afraid I won’t be very interesting.”

“You’re interesting just by being here,” he said, flashing an award-winning smile. She managed a shaky smile in response. 

Still, the noise and all the people were beginning to get to her. Annie could feel her pulse accelerate and her palms begin to sweat. She wondered briefly if Finnick could tell as he was holding her hand. 

“Nervous?”

“A little.”

He squeezed her hand gently. “I’ve got you.”

Taking a deep breath, Annie realized she believed him.

She walked around the party with Finnick for a while, and although her nerves abated a little, she could still safely say that parties weren’t her thing. Finnick must have been able to tell she was getting restless because he pulled her aside a moment later. 

“What do you say we get out of here?”

“What?” Annie asked, waiting for his words to register. “Where do you want to go?”

“We can go back to my apartment, maybe watch a movie. Something quiet,” he offered. Annie paused to consider. 

The idea was appealing. Some quiet time with Finnick, away from the overwhelming bustle of the party. “Sure. Is your apartment far?”

“Nope, just a short walk. We can leave now, if you want.”

“Wait,” Annie said, stopping him from leaving. “My friends are still here.”

Finnick nodded, thinking. “Do you want to find them and tell them where you’re going?”

She shook her head. Unlike her, her friends were experienced with handling parties. Johanna and Madge were, at least. They probably wouldn’t mind if she left early. Especially if she was leaving with Finnick. “No,” she answered his question. “I’ll just text them.”

Finnick nodded. “Ready?” He outstretched his hand, waiting for her to take it. 

Annie placed her hand in his, and his green eyes lit up. 

The sun had long since gone down, and the light breeze made the evening cool. The walk back to Finnick’s apartment was short, just as he said. Annie took a moment to glance around when they arrived. It was a nice apartment, cozy, but clearly meant for multiple people. 

“My roommate’s out tonight, so we’ve got the place to ourselves,” he grinned as he invited her to sit down on the couch. “So, movie preferences?”

“Oh, I don’t care,” she shrugged noncommittally. “Anything’s fine.”

She didn’t come here for the movie, anyway. 

Finnick put some rom-com on but Annie didn’t pay it much attention. The two mostly just talked, leaving the movie on as background noise. 

“Okay,” Finnick began seriously, facing her. “Favorite color?”

Annie raised an eyebrow inquisitively. “That’s such a serious way to ask such a trivial question.”

“It’s an important question,” he defended, grinning. 

Annie laughed. “Let me guess. You can tell a lot about someone based on their favorite color, too?” she asked, echoing their earlier conversation.

Finnick shrugged. “I don’t know, you’re the psych major. Maybe I just want to know yours.”

“It’s blue,” she admitted softly. 

“Well, that could mean anything! There’s dark blue, light blue, navy—”

“Light blue,” Annie laughed, interrupting his tirade. “I like light blue.”

Finnick nodded in satisfaction. “That’s good to know. I like green, by the way. In case you were wondering.”

“Oh, that could mean anything!” Annie laughed, imitating his earlier words. “What shade?”

“Sea green,” he responded, his eyes still trained on her as though she was the most interesting thing in the world. 

“Like your eyes?”

“No,” he shook his head. “Like your eyes.”

She felt her face heat up. Was it possible that he did like her, romantically? “Oh,” was all she could say after a sharp intake of breath. Averting her eyes, she muttered, “Um, we should focus on the movie.”

To his credit, Finnick played along, as though they’d given thought to the movie all along. But he didn’t push further as they watched the screen. Still, their fingers were intertwined, and Annie felt her eyelids flutter shut briefly, relaxed by the gentle lull of Finnick’s steady breathing. 

At some point, they must have fallen asleep, because Annie could recall opening her eyes to find herself curled up at Finnick’s side, with his arm around her shoulders. In a groggy haze, she snuggled closer and let herself drift off again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all of the support on chapter 1!
> 
> I didn't realize how much I absolutely loved Finnick and Annie in this context until I started writing them. I hope you all are enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it. :)


	3. Chapter 3

It was the insistent blaring of her alarm that finally made Annie extract herself from Finnick’s arms the next morning. She shivered slightly, missing his warmth, but moved to turn her alarm off. 

Finnick stirred and groaned. “What is that?”

“My alarm,” she said. “I guess we fell asleep.”

“Guess so,” Finnick replied, still groggy. “It’s Saturday. Who sets an alarm on a Saturday?”

“I do,” she defended, somewhat irritable. She could only imagine Johanna’s face when she returned home after spending the night in Finnick’s apartment. Annie was not looking forward to that smug smile. “I really should be getting home—”

“Hey, Finn, are you done with—” a blond boy walked into the living room, stopping short when he saw the two of them. With their tousled hair and rumpled clothes, Annie knew what he must be assuming. “Oh. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you had company.”

She felt her face blush bright red. “It’s not—we didn’t—”

Finnick interrupted her stammering. “Peeta, this is Annie. My...friend. Annie, this is Peeta Mellark, my roommate.”

She tried to ignore the way her heart dropped when he said friend. “We were watching a movie last night and fell asleep on the couch,” Annie explained cautiously, finding words again. 

To his credit, Peeta only nodded and gave her a comforting smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Annie.”

“You, too,” she attempted to smile back, but Annie would have preferred meeting in any other circumstance. Finnick gave her a wary glance and she cleared her throat awkwardly. “I’m going to head home. See you later, Finnick. It was nice meeting you, Peeta.”

“Bye, Annie,” Finnick replied. Annie could hear the disappointment creeping into his voice and wondered if he was sad to see her go.

Her mind was consumed by thoughts the entire walk home. Her and Finnick had wandered into the strange realm between friends and something more. And if there was anything Annie hated, it was being uncertain of things. 

Where did this leave her and Finnick? What were they? How was she supposed to act around him now?

Annie was greeted by Johanna’s smug smile when she returned home. “I guess someone had a good night.”

“It wasn’t like that,” she said exasperatedly. “We watched a movie and fell asleep on the couch. That’s it.”

Johanna’s eyes widened. “You mean you didn’t even kiss him? You really are a prude.”

Hot anger burned in her chest. “I’m not a prude just because I don’t want to sleep with every guy I see!”

If Johanna was surprised at her outburst, she didn’t show it. “Sure, Cresta. But you’ve been going to school here for three years and in the time I’ve known you, have done nothing.” 

“Why are you so interested in my sex life anyway?”

In a rare moment of sincerity, Johanna responded, “Because I can tell that you’re not happy.”

Annie studied a suddenly very interesting spot on the floor, refusing to meet her roommate’s eye. 

Much to her relief, Johanna dropped the topic. “I’m going to the cafe. You want anything?”

“No, I’m fine,” Annie answered glumly, sinking tiredly into a kitchen chair. Johanna raised her eyebrows slightly but left without another word. 

Heaving a sigh, Annie made herself some coffee and sat down to work on a paper. 

* * *

Annie groaned as she felt the headache building at her temples. She’d been staring at the screen for hours, trying to get a paper done, but to no avail. Her mind was focused on everything but her psych homework. 

Accepting that she wasn’t going to get any more work done, she closed her laptop and gathered her things. She needed something to quiet her thoughts and take her mind off of everything happening with Finnick. “I’m going to the pool,” she called to Johanna, who was watching the television in the living room. 

“Okay,” Johanna called back, clearly distracted. 

The pool was basically empty when she arrived, which Annie was grateful for. Nobody wanted to exercise in the middle of a Saturday, anyway. 

Well, nobody except for her. 

The exertion gave her something else to think about. Annie didn’t think as she swam lap after lap, feeling her muscles ache and her lungs want air. For once, her mind was quiet. 

She eventually had to hoist herself out of the water to take a break on the edge of the pool. Her feet dangled in the water, causing ripples with each movement. 

“Odd time to swim, isn’t it?”

Annie’s breath hitched as Finnick came up from behind her. Cautiously, as if asking for permission, he joined her on the edge of the pool. 

“How’d you know I’d be here?” she asked, not meeting his eye. 

“I asked Johanna. She gave me your address at the party last night and I stopped by to make sure you were okay. I think she wanted us to hook up.”

Annie gave a small laugh. “Sounds like Johanna.”

A tense silence stretched between them before Finnick said, “Hey, I’m really sorry about this morning. I didn’t know Peeta would see us.”

“It’s fine,” she shrugged, even though it was far from it. “It’s not like anything happened. We’re friends, like you said.”

Finnick took her hand and looked her in the eye. “I really like you, Annie. And I want to be more than friends. If you’ll have me?”

Annie’s pulse quickened, and she waited for the familiar tidal wave of anxiety to wash over her. But Finnick’s hand and steady gaze were like an anchor, grounding her to reality. Safe, comfortable, steady. 

The anxiety did come, though, as expected. But Annie took a deep breath and calmly said, “I want that, too.”

Finnick beamed at her, his eyes gleaming. But Annie frowned, doubt clouding her vision. “Finnick. I don’t want to be involved in this if it’s not going to be serious. I don’t want to be just another one of your one-night stands.”

He bristled, flinching back like he’d been slapped. “Is that what you think of me?”

Aggression and anxiety took over and Annie raised her voice. “Well, you haven’t exactly had the best track record with women! I want to know what I’m getting into, is that too much to ask?”

Eyes downcast, Finnick shook his head. “No, Annie, you’re right. And trust me when I say I really care about you. And I want a committed relationship with you.”

Annie took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. “Okay, good. Then we agree.”

His smile was gorgeous. Before she knew what was happening, he had pressed her lips to hers. The kiss was slow and careful, and Annie’s heart felt full. Still, she pulled away a moment later. 

“Wow,” she said softly, still savoring the moment. Finnick looked pleased, too, even though Annie knew she wasn’t an exceptional kisser. A moment later, she asked, “So what does this make us? A couple?”

“If that’s what you want,” Finnick replied, looking excited at the mere prospect. 

She did want that. Really. But uncertainty still plagued her mind. “Isn’t this fast? We’ve barely known each other for a week!”

Finnick shrugged. “We can take it slow. I just want you to be comfortable, Annie. So just let me know if we’re moving too fast, and I’ll slow down. Promise.”

“Thank you,” she smiled, feeling relieved. Finnick’s hand was still wrapped comfortably around hers, and she made no move to let go. 

Turns out, swimming pools could be places of romance, after all. 

* * *

It had been Finnick’s idea to get their friends all together. “Our friends should get to know each other,” he had said. “It’s very important, you know.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” she replied with a smile. “Can we do it at my apartment, though?”

“Absolutely.” He pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. “I’ll bring Peeta.”

So that was how Annie found herself on the couch in her living room with Finnick and five other people the next day. It was a quiet event, for which she was grateful. Just a group of people sitting around a coffee table, talking. 

And with Finnick’s fingers intertwined with hers, the evening certainly seemed manageable. 

“I can’t believe you two had your first kiss at the pool,” Madge said, her nose wrinkled in distaste. She was curled up on the couch next to her boyfriend, Gale Hawthorne. “Wasn’t it gross? Did it smell like chlorine?”

“Of course it smelled like chlorine, it’s a pool.” Johanna rolled her eyes. 

Annie shifted uncomfortably in her seat, wanting to talk about anything else. In a rare moment of good fortune, the doorbell rang, signalling that the pizza had arrived. 

“That’ll be the pizza,” she said, standing up. “I’ll get it.”

By the time she returned, everyone was eagerly awaiting the pizza, effectively putting an end to the conversation about her and Finnick’s relationship. 

“Okay, controversial question,” Finnick began as he opened a pizza box. “Do you all like pineapple on pizza?”

Shouts of ‘yes’ and ‘no’ echoed around the room, and Annie caught herself grinning widely, seeing everyone laughing together. Even if they were debating about which pizza toppings were the best. 

“Katniss?” Madge asked, waiting for her friend’s opinion. Katniss had been preoccupied all evening, sneaking glances at Peeta Mellark from across the room. 

“Who cares, it’s pizza!” Katniss said a moment later, to which Gale gave an appreciative nod.

“Annie,” Finnick grinned, getting her attention. “Thoughts on pineapple on pizza?”

“I don’t like it,” she said, smiling slightly. After an outraged cry from Finnick, she said, “It doesn’t belong there!”

“Just because it doesn’t belong there doesn’t mean it’s bad!” he retorted back, taking a bite of his Hawaiian pizza just to prove his point. 

“I’m with Annie,” Madge said. “It’s gross.”

Annie and Madge exchanged smiles. 

The conversation went on into the night, and Annie relaxed gradually. Everyone was engrossed in Finnick’s story about how a sea turtle swam away with his hat when he was a child. 

Annie yawned and rested her head on Finnick’s shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her and continued his animated conversation with Johanna. 

“Is she asleep?” she heard Peeta ask a moment later. 

“Not asleep,” she muttered, sitting up. “I’m just tired.”

“It’s 11 o’clock,” Johanna said, laughing. “It’s still early.”

“Tomorrow’s Monday, and I have a class,” Annie replied.

“I’m getting tired, too,” Finnick said. Annie’s eyebrows furrowed, giving him a strange look in her momentary confusion. She knew that Finnick could stay up all night if he wanted. That was the power of copious amounts of caffeine. 

Still, she and Finnick walked into the kitchen, ignoring the teasing from their friends. 

“So, are you _wanting to go to sleep_ tired or _drained from spending time with people_ tired?” he asked, once they were alone in the kitchen. Annie paused, surprised by his thoughtfulness. 

“Hmm, a bit of both, I think,” she replied, sitting down on a chair. “But mostly the second one.”

Finnick raised his eyebrows. “I can go back into the living room if you want some alone time." 

“No, stay. You’re not draining to spend time with.”

Finnick smiled softly and pulled out the chair next to hers. Annie rested her head on his shoulder and let a content sigh escape her lips. 

“Happy?” he asked her, a hopeful edge to his voice. 

“Yes,” Annie answered honestly. “What about you?”

He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Very happy.”

The sudden noise of footsteps approaching caused them to jump apart in surprise. Katniss stood in the doorway, looking slightly embarrassed. Annie would bet that they sent her to interrupt on purpose; Katniss had always been pure that way. 

“Hey,” Katniss said awkwardly. “We’re all playing Truth or Dare in there, if you guys want to join.”

“Truth or Dare?” Annie asked. “Isn’t that a children’s game?”

Katniss smiled slightly. “I’m sure Johanna will find a way to make it adult.”

“We’ll be there in a minute,” said Finnick. Katniss nodded and rejoined the group. He gave Annie one last peck on the lips before taking her hand. “Ready?”

Annie nodded, certain that she was. Because her friends were waiting on the other side of the doorway, and Finnick was standing with her on this side. She smiled. “Yeah, let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reading! :)


	4. Chapter 4

Annie wrapped her coat tighter around her cold body as she waited for Finnick to meet her for lunch. The two of them had taken to eating lunch together on the days when their schedules permitted it. 

She wouldn’t have chosen to eat outside, not when the fall weather was slightly too cold to be pleasant, but the cafe had filled up quickly, and the only available seats were outside. She wrapped her hands around her coffee cup, hoping that the hot beverage would do something to warm her hands.

“Hey.” Finnick pressed a kiss to her cheek and dropped into the other chair tiredly. “Sorry for making you wait. My class ran long.”

“It’s no problem,” Annie responded, smiling at the sight of him. His hair was tousled slightly from the wind, and his cheeks flushed pink from the cold, but his eyes were bright and happy. 

Finnick bit into his sandwich and sighed. “Maybe we should find another place for lunch. Then we wouldn’t have to eat outside.”

“You’re cold, too?” she laughed. Finnick nodded. 

“Yeah. If it weren’t for my athletic scholarship, I would’ve gone to school in Florida.”

Annie nodded, understanding the sentiment as another cold breeze caused her to shiver. “But then we wouldn’t have met,” she pointed out.

“I guess not,” he replied thoughtfully. He gave her a playful smile. “But I’d go to school in Antarctica if it meant going to school with you.”

Something warm bloomed in her chest and Annie felt her cheeks flush. A cold breeze blew by again but she hardly felt it. “Me, too,” she decided. “But we wouldn’t be able to swim there.”

“Yes, we could,” he said, his eyes gleaming. “If we wanted hypothermia.”

“Which we don’t.”

“No, that would be unfortunate.”

A beat of silence passed before they both dissolved into childish laughter. A few heads turned but Annie found that she didn’t mind. 

“Speaking of swimming,” Finnick said, his expression turning more serious. “I have a swim meet coming up this weekend, and I was wondering if you wanted to come watch.”

Annie paused, momentarily surprised. “Oh, well, I’ll have to see if I’m free…” She knew she would be free, at least physically. But there was no telling if she’d feel up to going to a swim meet with hundreds of other people, screaming and cheering. 

“Sure,” Finnick said dismissively. “It’s in Cincinnati, so I understand if you don’t want to come.”

She frowned at his slumped shoulders and defeated posture. He looked deflated, as if resigned to the idea that she didn’t want to come support him. Despite the uncertainty, her mind was made up. “Finnick.” He looked up. “I want to come.”

His eyes brightened as he sat up straighter. “Really?”

“Yes, of course!” Annie reached across the table to give his hand a gentle squeeze. “I’ll be there.”

The anxiety came, and Annie mentally chided herself for agreeing so quickly without even thinking about it first. But Finnick’s presence was an anchor that tethered her to safety. The least she could do was be there for him. 

“Thank you, Annie,” Finnick smiled and she couldn’t help but grin back. 

* * *

While waiting for her upcoming therapy appointment, Annie was once again reminded that her and Finnick had met only a week ago. It felt like they had been together longer, the way they fit together, but it had only been seven days. 

Annie had never been one to jump into things without thinking. Acting on impulse was never something she had done often. 

Or, at least, not until now. 

“Annie?” Dr. Aurelius stood in the doorway to his office, inviting her inside. “Come in.”

She entered the room and sat down on the leather couch, exactly as she had done the week before. But that was about where the similarities stopped. 

“So,” the doctor began, looking at her. “How did the pool go?”

“It went well.” Annie shifted in her seat. “I met someone, actually.”

Dr. Aurelius raised his eyebrows, looking pleasantly surprised. “Did you?”

Annie laughed softly, looking down. “Yeah. We’re, uh, together now.”

“That’s great to hear, Annie. I’m happy for you,” he said. He paused for a moment, lost in thought, before asking, “How are you feeling about that?”

“I don’t know,” she said, her eyes scanning the room nervously. “I’m happy, Finnick’s great, but I guess I’m nervous, too. It all happened so fast, you know? It’s only been a week, and I can’t help but wonder if we’re moving too fast. What if it doesn’t work out? Or he realizes that dating me was actually a mistake?” Annie averted her eyes, stopping herself from rambling any more than she already had. 

“Sometimes, relationships progress quickly. That’s not always an indicator of whether or not it will last. Do you want to be dating him?”

“Yes,” Annie answered without thought. “I do.”

Dr. Aurelius gave her a warm smile. “Well then, I guess you have your answer.”

“He asked me to come watch his swim meet this weekend,” she continued. “It’s in Cincinnati. And I already told him I’d be there. I want to go, to support him, but at the same time…” she trailed off. “Well, you know all this by now.”

“No, go ahead,” her doctor prompted. “Continue. At the same time…”

Her voice was almost inaudible when she answered. “I don’t know if I can do it.”

Dr. Aurelius nodded, as if he were expecting that response. “Just last week, you were telling me that you couldn’t go to your university’s pool, or meet anyone new. But you did both of those things.”

Annie gave a halfhearted shrug. 

“Annie,” he said seriously. “Everything you’ve said you couldn’t do, you’ve done. What makes this any different?”

She paused, considering the question. The doctor had a point. How many times had she thought herself incapable, only to prove the contrary? “I guess it’s not different,” she said a moment later. 

“Good. You’re capable of doing difficult things. I want you to remember that.”

Annie nodded in agreement. “He told me that he just wanted me to be comfortable. So if I woke up the day of the meet and told him I didn’t feel up to going, I know he’d be understanding.”

“He sounds very respectful of your boundaries,” Dr. Aurelius said with approval. 

She grinned. “Yeah, he is.”

“It sounds like you’ve got this all handled, Annie. I’m very happy for you.”

“Thank you,” she said. “So am I.” And she meant it. 

Walking out the door, Annie let her mind wander. It felt freeing in a way, to know that she could opt out of going if she felt uncomfortable. She could decide to stay home.

But she wouldn’t.

* * *

On the morning of the swim meet, Annie woke up early to drive the hour and a half to Cincinnati. Finnick was riding on the team bus with the rest of the swim team, so Annie was alone in the car with only her bags and the radio to keep her company. 

The car ride gave her anxiety plenty of time to manifest. By the time she reached the venue and was opening the door, Annie could feel her heart pound in her chest. 

Still, she walked in and went to locate Finnick. 

Moving through the crowds of people did nothing to soothe her nerves. What if she couldn’t find him? What if she got lost?

“Annie!” 

She breathed a sigh of relief as Finnick pushed past people to reach her. “Hey, Finnick. I’m not too late, am I?”

“No,” he grinned, and pulled her into a hug. “We have a few minutes to hang out before the meet starts.”

“Good. So, how are you feeling?”

Finnick shrugged. “Not bad. We all want to do well but the stakes are fairly low this early in the season.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll do great,” Annie smiled. That was true; when it came to swimming, nobody was quite like Finnick. 

He gave her a quick kiss. “Thanks. Make sure you scream my name really loud, so I can hear you.”

Annie laughed. “You’ll hear me over all those other people?” It seemed unlikely. 

“Oh, for sure,” Finnick grinned. “I’ll be thinking of you.”

“Then I’ll be sure to cheer as loud as I can,” she promised, leaning into him for a side hug, which he reciprocated by putting an arm around her shoulders.

“So we’ve got about five more minutes before I need to join the rest of the team.”

“Okay,” Annie said easily. “Is there anyone else you want to talk to before then? Is your family here?” She didn’t know much about Finnick’s family, but she assumed that at least somebody would want to watch him swim. 

His smile faltered, and for a moment, it looked like all the life was drained from his body. “Um, no, they’re not.”

Annie immediately felt bad for asking. “I’m sorry.” It hadn’t occurred to her that he had asked her to come because he knew that nobody else would be there for him. 

He shook his head. “Not your fault. If it’s not the Olympics, they’re not interested. Who cares about some college swim meet, right?” he asked, a dry laugh escaping his lips.

“Finnick.” She took his hands. “I care.”

He gave her a weak smile. “I know. I really appreciate you being here. My family and I...don’t exactly have the best relationship, that’s all. You probably won’t be seeing much of them.”

Annie nodded, and squeezed his hand gently. “Well, you’ll always have me, okay?”

He nodded, and they walked to the locker rooms so Finnick could get ready. “I guess this is where we say goodbye for now.”

“Goodbye for now,” Annie echoed, and pressed a light kiss to his mouth. “Good luck. I’ll see you after.”

Finnick waved goodbye before disappearing into the locker room, leaving Annie to find a seat on the crowded stands. She wanted a good view of Finnick, but it was difficult to get anywhere in the giant mass of people. If she had known swim meets were this popular, perhaps she would have reconsidered her decision to go. 

Although she knew she would’ve gone anyway. For Finnick. 

When it was time for Finnick’s race, Annie was mesmerized by the way his body so effortlessly cut through the water. It gave him a tremendous advantage, and he was well ahead of his other competitors. 

Just as he requested, Annie cheered until her voice was hoarse. In the last few seconds of the race, she cried, “Finnick!” To her surprise and joy, Finnick managed to pull ahead and win. 

The cheers were deafening. In the chaos, as Finnick was pulling himself out of the water, they locked eyes. Finnick beamed at her before he was pulled away by his coach, and Annie felt excited laughter build in her chest. 

The atmosphere was a thrilling one. People cheering, screaming, clapping, as their teams won races. She was on edge, but there was a certain elation, too, and Annie decided that swim meets weren’t so bad after all. 

The meet ended eventually, and she was waiting by the locker rooms for Finnick to emerge. When he did, his hair was still wet and he looked tired, but he was smiling so wide that Annie wondered if it hurt. 

“Congratulations,” she grinned as he pulled her in for a hug. Her voice sounded raspy and strange after screaming for so long. “Did you hear me cheering for you?”

“Of course,” Finnick said. “I told you I would.”

“Hey, Odair!” Another guy on the team emerged from the locker room. Finnick turned his head. “We’re all going out for a victory party. You coming?”

Finnick glanced at her, then turned to his teammate. “No, you guys go ahead. I’ve got other plans tonight.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” Annie said, once the swim team guys were gone. “Ditch the party for me.”

He shrugged dismissively. “I wanted to. And between you and me, their parties are boring, anyway. I’d much rather spend time with you.”

Annie smiled and took his hand. “Good. Me, too. So, you must be hungry. How does a celebratory dinner sound?”

Finnick’s smile was so bright, it was almost blinding. “A dinner with you? Sounds perfect.”

Satisfied, she took his hand and they walked back to the car. 

Later that night, Finnick’s lips tasted of the chocolate cake that they had for dessert, and Annie couldn’t recall tasting anything better. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> I apologize for any inaccuracies regarding competitive swimming in this story. I've done some research but as I'm not a swimmer, I have no real experience in that field. I'll try to keep everything fairly straightforward so you don't have to suspend your disbelief too much, but I'm just putting it out there. I don't think my lack of swimming knowledge should make the story any less enjoyable, but I guess we'll see what happens in later chapters. Thank you all for the support so far. :)


	5. Chapter 5

“Getting ice cream was a horrible idea,” Madge grumbled as a cold breeze blew through her hair. “But it’s so good.”

Annie nodded in agreement. The end of October was quickly approaching, and with it, the dry cold of winter. Still, they had decided to get pumpkin ice cream at the university's annual Fall Festival. 

"Who else even makes pumpkin ice cream?" Johanna asked. "Besides, you all are a bunch of wimps if you can't handle a little cold."

"Well, speak for yourself." Annie shivered and shoved her hands in her pockets. "You're from Montana, and therefore, used to the cold."

Katniss smirked, her gloved hands wrapped comfortably around a warm cup of hot chocolate. "I told you not to get the ice cream."

Before she could respond, Annie's phone vibrated in her pocket. She picked it up, wincing slightly as her hands missed the warmth of pockets. Her phone lit up to reveal a message from Finnick. He sent a photo of the pool, completely empty, deserted after swim practice. 

_**Finnick:** Thinking of you. :)_

_**Annie:** ❤️❤️_

"Annie?"

She glanced up to the rest of the group. Madge was looking at her expectantly. "Sorry, what?"

"Texting Finnick?" Johanna snickered, and Annie rolled her eyes. 

"We wanted to know if you had any plans for Halloween," Madge said. "I think we're all going to the costume party. Want to join?"

Images of dressed up, drunk college students swam through her mind, and she resisted the urge to grimace. Every year, the school threw a costume party for Halloween. Annie was a junior, and had yet to attend. "No, I think I'll just stay home."

Johanna let out a melodramatic sigh. "You always stay home. You should come with us this year."

"Unless you're going out with Finnick," Madge interjected. "Then you shouldn't go."

Annie paused. Finnick hadn't mentioned anything about plans for Halloween. As far as she knew, they weren't going out, and she had no standing plans that night. Which meant she needed a different excuse. 

"I don't even have a costume," Annie said, grateful for once that it was Halloween. 

"We can find you something, there's still a few days left," Madge promised. "So, are you coming?"

"Fine. But I can leave whenever I want."

"Okay," Johanna agreed. "Katniss?"

Katniss sighed. "I'm not really into Halloween." Annie couldn't blame her. 

"If Annie's going, so should you," Madge said. "We can all go together. Besides, I think Peeta will be there."

Katniss' eyes widened and she stumbled in surprise, managing to catch herself before she fell. Her cheeks tinted red, she asked, "So?"

"So, you should go."

Katniss mumbled something, and from Madge's excited squeal, Annie assumed that she agreed to go. 

They walked around the festival for a little while longer, looking at the fall-themed booths and trying to stave off the cold. Everyone was starting to get bored, and they were about to make the walk back home when Madge yelled, "Peeta!"

Peeta Mellark stood at a booth adorned with fall-themed cookies and other baked goods. Like everyone else, he was dressed in a warm coat and scarf, and his hair was slightly disheveled from the wind. 

"Madge, Annie, Johanna," he greeted casually. His cheeks colored slightly when he saw Katniss. "Katniss."

"Hi, Peeta," Katniss replied stiffly. 

Peeta turned his attention to his booth, explaining what everything was. Annie was grateful to receive a warm mug of hot chocolate. She nearly sighed with delight when the warm, rich liquid settled on her tongue, warming her cold body as she took a sip. 

"Good?" Peeta asked hopefully, and they all nodded. 

Madge and Johanna walked off casually, and Annie followed, leaving Katniss alone with Peeta. 

"You did that on purpose," Annie said, laughing slightly. "Are you trying to set them up?"

Madge shrugged, and looked back at Peeta's booth, where he and Katniss were both engaged in conversation. "It's worth a try. You see how they are together."

"Besides," Johanna added. "She could use someone like him."

Annie just laughed and took another sip of her hot chocolate, letting the decadent beverage warm her from the inside.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Annie said softly, observing herself in the mirror. It was Halloween, and the day of the costume party, and she could feel her nerves begin to set in. 

"You look great," Madge assured her. 

Annie had been hesitant when they brought her the costume. A blue, fitted bodice, with a tight skirt that flared out at the bottom. Her long hair fell in loose waves down her shoulders, and the blue and green ribbons woven into small braids caused flashes of color when she moved her head. A seashell hung on a piece of rope at her neck, making a necklace and completing the look. 

She was a mermaid. 

While it wasn't something she would have picked out for herself, there was no denying that it was beautiful. And, to her relief, it was more modest than many other costumes. There was a certain dignified elegance about it that made the little girl in her excited. 

"It's too bad Finnick won't be there," Johanna said. "I bet he'd love to see you in that."

Annie rolled her eyes but, privately, she agreed. "You were the one who told me that I should get out and have some fun for myself," she said, remembering why she hadn't asked Finnick to come.

Johanna shrugged. "Yeah, and I meant it. Sometimes you just have to go to a party on your own and do what you want."

"So, am I supposed to date or be single?" Annie asked. "Because you've been telling me both."

"It's all about balance," Madge explained gently. She had always been kinder and softer in nature than Johanna. 

"I say you should do whatever you want," Katniss announced.

Katniss came up behind her, surveying her look in the mirror. If Annie was water, then Katniss was fire. They were almost like opposites in that moment; Annie's blues and greens of the ocean against Katniss' reds and oranges of flames. 

Katniss said nothing, only gave her reflection a satisfied smile, then walked away. 

"Okay, I think we're ready," Madge said cheerfully. She had gone to the costume party every year, if Annie could recall correctly. That seemed like a lot of times to be going to the same party, but perhaps Madge found ways to entertain herself. 

They made the quick walk to the party venue, and Annie shivered in the cool night air. She didn't plan on staying long, anyway. It was only a matter of time before she could go home, take off the costume, and crawl into bed with the covers pulled high.

Taking a deep breath in preparation, Annie entered the party. 

Blaring music nearly assaulted her ears and she winced at the sudden noise. It was crowded already, and everyone's costumes didn't make the experience any less overwhelming. The crowd seemed to move as one giant being, with Annie on the outside, and she didn't think it was possible to feel more out of place. 

She glanced around, trying to find something to do. Johanna had already wandered off, probably to the drinks, so she was left with Madge and Katniss. 

"What are we even supposed to do at these things?" Annie asked, raising her voice so she could be heard over the music. 

Beside her, Katniss shrugged. "Hang out?"

They laughed at the vague statement, both of them unsure how to proceed. Annie felt a rush of gratitude for Katniss. At least she had someone she could relate to when it came to her confusion at social events. 

Annie wandered around the party for a while, searching for a familiar face. She wished that Finnick was there, just so she had somebody to talk to. Her hands itched to reach for her phone and text him. 

Perhaps it was a bad idea, going to the party alone. She had done it to show herself that she could do things without Finnick, no matter how scary they may be. 

But her breathing was beginning to quicken and Annie swore that if she heard one more drunken shout, she was going to throw up. Head spinning, she pushed through the crowd, desperate to get somewhere quiet. 

Annie made it to a small but empty hallway within a matter of minutes. She sank down to the floor, not trusting her shaky legs to support her anymore. The music blared and she resisted the urge to cover her ears. 

This wasn't Annie's first time dealing with a panic attack, but it was the first in a while. It didn't help that she was alone. She used her trembling hands to grab her phone and text Finnick. 

_**Annie:** Hey can you come pick me up?_

_**Annie:** I'm at the Halloween party._

She focused on her breathing, trying to steady her rapid heart rate. She didn't feel up to walking back home, even though her apartment wasn't very far away. Hopefully, Finnick would see her message and give her a ride home. A moment later, her phone buzzed in her hand. 

_**Finnick:** Be right there. _

Annie sighed as a surge of relief went through her at those words. True to his word, Finnick was pushing through the crowd in ten minutes, only stopping when he caught sight of her in the hallway. 

"Annie," he said softly, wrapping his arms around her trembling frame. He whispered quiet, soothing words into her ear until she had calmed down. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Annie said softly. "Sorry for bothering you. Can you take me home?"

Finnick smiled. "I can do better than that."

He took her hand and they walked back through the party together, past the crowds of people in colorful costumes and obnoxious screaming. Her chest tightened but Finnick was right there, so it was okay. 

Finnick led her to his car and pulled the door open on the passenger's side. "After you." She climbed in to the car, feeling better already. 

"Where are we going?"

He climbed in on the other side, starting the car up. "You'll like it, I promise."

They drove for about five minutes before Finnick pulled to a stop in a small parking lot. "Where are we?" she asked, glancing around, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dark. 

"A park," he replied. "You up for a bit of walking? It's only a few minutes."

"Sure," Annie agreed, because he looked so excited. She shivered from the cold and Finnick wrapped an arm around her, effectively warming her up. 

"Here we are," Finnick said softly, after a few minutes of walking.

Annie sighed breathlessly. He had taken her to a quiet lake, secluded and quiet and still. Fairy lights hung from the trees, illuminating the water and everything around it. Flowers grew on the side of the lake, painting the perfect picture of nature. 

"It's beautiful," she breathed, looking around. "How did you find this place?"

"I found it when I was running one morning," Finnick said, giving her a soft smile. He led her to a bench overlooking the water where they sat to enjoy the view. 

Annie leaned her head on Finnick's shoulder. "Thank you."

"Of course. Are you feeling better?"

She nodded, relaxed. "Yeah. I'm not even sure why I went to that party, anyway. I knew I wouldn't enjoy it."

"It sounds like you didn't want to disappoint your friends," Finnick said thoughtfully. "And there's nothing wrong with wanting to make them happy. But sometimes you need to look out for yourself, too."

"I know," Annie said. "You're right. But I'm just always wanting to do the right thing, you know? Only sometimes I don't know what that is."

Finnick was silent for a moment, contemplating. "Maybe you just have to stop thinking, sometimes. Do what feels right. It's intuitive. You don't always have to do what other people say."

"When did you get so philosophical?" Annie asked, smiling jokingly. 

"I took a philosophy class last year." He tucked a stray hair behind her ear and smiled gently. "So I'm practically an expert."

She laughed, amused. "Hm, I guess so."

After a moment of silence, Finnick spoke up again. "By the way, you look great in that costume."

Annie flushed. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Finnick nodded, turning so he could softly kiss her mouth. "It suits you."

"Thank you." She looked out at the water on the lake, so still and silent. "Dressing up was always my favorite part of Halloween."

"Really? My favorite part was always the candy."

Annie laughed unabashedly, not caring how loud she was. "Of course it was. I wouldn't expect anything less."

Finnick grinned and held her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. 

Despite her thin costume, Annie found that she wasn't cold at all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> First; how often should I update? Is once a day good or is that too often? Let me know!
> 
> Also, as far as the timeline for this story goes, I'm thinking that I want to continue until the school year ends, with a possible epilogue set at the end of the summer. I'm not sure exactly how many chapters that will be. Next chapter, it'll be November, and then the holidays will be coming up. I have a few ideas for what I want to happen plot wise, but other than that, the chapters are open. So if there are any scenes or situations you'd like to see, feel free to comment them, and I'll see if I can work them into the story. 
> 
> Thanks for all of the support, everyone. I hope you're still enjoying this. :)


	6. Chapter 6

"When were you going to tell me that it's your birthday?"

Annie sighed as Finnick stood in the doorway to her apartment, knocking with such haste that she had started to worry. It was still early, and Finnick never woke up early unless he had swim practice or something very important to attend to.

"It's not my birthday," Annie said. "It's tomorrow."

Finnick's eyes widened. "Were you going to tell me?"

She shrugged casually. "Sure, I probably would have. Why?"

"We have to celebrate! Now this only gives me one day to plan your birthday surprise!" he exclaimed, using animated gestures. 

"Oh, I don't really do much for my birthday," Annie admitted softly. Birthdays, while they had been exciting, were also a major source of panic for her. She always wanted to know exactly what was going to happen so she could plan accordingly. The people she spent time with always wanted to do something fun, meaning that she usually had to go along with plans she didn't feel comfortable with. 

So, for Annie, there wasn't all that much to be excited about. 

Finnick's face fell. "You don't?"

"Nothing big, no. Usually I just stay home and watch a movie and eat ice cream."

Finnick took her hands and said seriously, "Well, this year, I want to do something special for you."

Her cheeks reddened. "Oh, you really don't have to—"

"I want to," he interjected. "It'll be small, I promise, and relaxed. I won't throw a raging party in your honor."

"Good," Annie smiled. She stood up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek, pulling away quickly when footsteps approached. 

Johanna stood in the hallway looking like she'd just gotten out of bed. "Morning, Annie," she said nonchalantly. Then, "Care to tell me what you two are screaming about at 8 o'clock in the morning?"

"Tomorrow's Annie's birthday," Finnick explained, the excitement clearly building already. 

"Yeah, I know," Johanna replied, a trace of boredom in her voice. "She doesn't like to do anything fun for it, anyway, so good luck getting her to agree to anything."

"Hang on," Annie interrupted, defending herself. "Fun is subjective. So just because you don't find what I do on my birthday fun doesn't mean I'm not having fun."

Johanna rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Point is, she doesn't make a huge deal out of it."

"So I've heard," Finnick said, glancing pointedly at Annie. "Don't worry. It doesn't have to be big and loud to be fun."

Annie smiled and reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers. 

"Okay," Johanna muttered tiredly. "I'm going back to bed. Try not to wake me up this time."

Beside her, Finnick laughed softly. "Well, she's nice."

"She's an acquired taste," Annie replied with a knowing smile. "So, is this why you're up so early? To tell me that it's my birthday?"

"That, and I wanted to know if you wanted to get breakfast."

Annie nodded and grabbed her coat from the hook. "Sure. Where are we going?"

Finnick grinned. "My apartment."

Annie furrowed her brow. Finnick looked too excited to be merely talking about cheap cereal or microwave oatmeal. "Okay," she said cautiously, following him out the door. 

They walked back to his car, making the short drive to Finnick's apartment. "I hope you're hungry," he said, welcoming her inside. 

The warm aroma of baked goods greeted Annie at the door. Walking in further, she was pleasantly surprised to see the kitchen counter adorned with a variety of baked goods. Donuts with chocolate glaze, fluffy, inviting pastries, savory cheese buns, bread of all kinds. 

She let out a soft exhale at the display. "What is all this?"

"Peeta's a culinary major," Finnick said, smiling proudly. "He offered to make us breakfast. It's a lot, so you can probably take some back with you, if you want."

Annie stood still, stunned at the thoughtful gesture. "What...why would he do this?"

Finnick shrugged. "That's just how Peeta is. He had an early class this morning, but he should be back soon, if you want to talk to him."

"Okay," Annie nodded, finally moving to sit down at the table. She grabbed a plate, piling it high with everything she could reach. She wanted to try everything, from the decadent pastries to the grainy breads. 

Biting into one of the cheese buns, she had to restrain herself from sighing in pleasure. Everything was delicious, melting in her mouth and warming her up. "It's so good," she mumbled through a mouthful of food. 

Finnick nodded. "Those are the perks of having a baker as a roommate."

Annie laughed. They ate in silence for a while, quietly enjoying the spread of delicacies. She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she heard the front door open and Peeta enter. 

"Peeta!" Finnick called, beckoning Peeta to the table. "Annie has something to tell you."

She blushed at his suggestive tone but said, "Thank you, Peeta. The food was delicious." 

Peeta smiled warmly. "My pleasure, Annie. Consider it an early birthday present."

She sent a pointed look Finnick's way at the mention of her birthday. He held his hands up in a defensive gesture. "What?" he asked. "I needed help with your birthday surprise."

"What are you doing?" Annie asked him, feeling the anticipation already. 

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise," Finnick said playfully. "You'll have to wait and see."

"Fine." She stood up and kissed him on the cheek. "I've got a class soon. See you later, Finn." She grabbed her coat and after a quick goodbye to Peeta, was out the door. 

For the first time since she was a child, Annie felt genuinely excited for her birthday. 

* * *

"So," Johanna greeted as Annie got back from her class. "How was breakfast?"

"It was good," she replied slowly, unsure where Johanna was going with the conversation. "Why?"

"Just wondering," Johanna shrugged casually. "Do you know what you're doing for your birthday tomorrow?"

Annie sighed and dropped onto the couch tiredly. "No. Finnick's planning something, I think, but I have no idea what he's doing."

"You should go to a bar."

"What?"

"A bar," Johanna repeated. "You know, a place that serves alcohol and—"

"I know what a bar is," Annie cut her off, exasperated. "But why would I have any interest in going to one? Do you even know me at all?" she asked jokingly.

"Relax, Cresta, I'm kidding. But you are 21 tomorrow. And you can legally drink. And I'm pretty sure you're not the type to break the law and drink while you're underage, so you probably haven't really had alcohol before," Johanna explained. 

"I've had champagne a few times," Annie countered. 

Johanna scoffed. "That doesn't count. Real alcohol."

"I'm not really interested in drinking," she mumbled. Johanna rolled her eyes. 

"Okay, fine. But your birthday falls on a weekend, so it's the perfect time."

Annie stood up to walk to her room. "Okay, thanks, I'll keep that in mind." She grabbed a snack from the kitchen and was about to make her way into her room when Johanna stopped her. 

"Wait," she said. "I was instructed not to let you stay up too late."

"What? Why?" Annie asked blankly. 

"Your birthday surprise," Johanna said, exasperated. "Haven't you been listening to Finnick all day?"

Annie only furrowed her brow in confusion before closing her bedroom door. If Finnick didn't want her to stay up late, perhaps that meant that she was waking up early. But why would Finnick need her up early?

As if on cue, her phone buzzed. 

_**Finnick:** Are you at your apartment?_

_**Annie:** Yeah, why?_

_**Finnick:** Grab a swimsuit and a change of clothes and put them somewhere you’ll remember to grab them._

Puzzled, she followed the instructions, putting the clothes on her dresser.

_**Annie:** Done. Why am I doing this?_

_**Finnick:** Just trust me. :)_

_**Annie:** Does this have anything to do with my birthday?_

_**Finnick: 😉** _

Although she was mildly confused by the message, Annie couldn't help but smile to herself. She wasn't sure what it was, but she was excited for whatever Finnick had planned for tomorrow. 

* * *

Annie woke the next morning to an insistent knocking on her bedroom door. Groaning, she climbed out of bed, running her fingers through her hair in an attempt to calm the wild curls that had tangled during the night. 

Johanna was standing there when she opened the door, scowling like she'd rather be anywhere else. 

"What's going on?" Annie asked groggily, still rubbing the remnants of sleep from her eyes. 

"Your boyfriend's here," said Johanna, annoyance evident on her face, probably from being woken up so early. 

Annie stepped out into the hall, disregarding the fact that she had just gotten out of bed. Sure enough, Finnick was standing there, looking fully dressed and ready for the day. He beamed when he saw her, although Annie was sure that she looked a mess. 

"Happy birthday, Annie," Finnick smiled, looking more excited for her birthday than she was. He leaned in to kiss her, but she turned her head at the last moment so his lips landed on her cheek instead. 

"You don't want to do that," she explained softly. "I haven't brushed my teeth yet."

Finnick nodded in understanding and ushered her off to her room to get ready. "Grab the extra clothes and swimsuit. You may want to pack a bag," he called after her. 

Annie got ready in record time, pulling a brush through her hair, getting dressed, and brushing her teeth. Within ten minutes, she was back in the hallway with Finnick. 

"So, are you ever going to tell me where we're going?"

Finnick grinned playfully. "Nope. You'll find out soon enough. Got everything?"

Annie glanced at her bag and nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

They walked out to his car. Sitting on the passenger seat was a basket full of baked goods, similar to the ones from the morning before. Annie felt her mouth water at the sight. "For the car ride," Finnick explained, moving the basket so she could sit down. 

"How long are we driving, anyway?" The basket could probably last them hours.

"Four hours or so," Finnick shrugged. He started the car and pulled out onto the road.

Annie had never been a fan of long car rides, but long car rides with Finnick were a whole different experience altogether. The way his presence could light up a room, or a car, in their current case, was special. She was surprised to find herself enjoying the car ride. 

True to Finnick's prediction, they reached their destination in about four hours. The destination was a cabin on Lake Erie, decorated and furnished to be comfortable and cozy. The amazing view of the lake was directly on display from the porch. 

"Wow," Annie breathed, enthralled. "You...rented a cabin?"

"Nope," Finnick said, carrying their bags inside. "My family owns this cabin. But we hardly ever use it."

Annie followed him inside, admiring the interior of the house. "This place is amazing."

"Glad you think so," Finnick replied. "But you haven't even seen the best part."

He turned a corner and opened a door to reveal a gorgeous, opulent indoor pool. It was a large pool, too. Annie let out an giddy laugh at the sight. 

"It's heated," Finnick supplied. He brought his arms up and wrapped her in a hug from behind. "I figured you wouldn't want to swim in the cold."

"It's perfect." She turned around to face him and planted a kiss on his lips. "Thank you, Finn. I love it."

"Good," Finnick smiled, satisfied. "We can have some lunch and then swim after, alright?"

"Sounds great," she responded honestly. 

Finnick outstretched his hand and she took it, letting him lead her into the well stocked kitchen for some lunch. 

* * *

The night sky was perfectly clear, leaving the twinkling stars on display. A cool breeze blew by and Annie shivered a little, even with her warm coat and her hands wrapped around a mug of hot chocolate. 

"This is nice," she said, looking out at the lake. 

"I know it's not the ocean, but I figured it would do," Finnick responded with a smile. "So, was this a good birthday?"

"This was a great birthday," Annie grinned back. That was true. It was quiet, relaxed, and secluded, just as she wanted. Sitting out by the lake with Finnick was far more enjoyable to her than getting drunk at some wild party. 

"Good." Finnick reached for her hand. "Now that I know when it is, I'll have plenty of time to plan for next year.”

Annie laughed. "I look forward to seeing what you come up with. When's your birthday, anyway? Just so I have time to plan."

"June 10th," he replied. 

Annie nodded, contemplative. So Finnick had a summer birthday. She hadn't given much thought into what her and Finnick would do for the summer. Would they each go home and do long distance? Would they even be together long enough to worry about summer plans?

"Annie?" Finnick's voice shook her from her thoughts. "What are you thinking about?"

"The summer," she responded. "And what we'll do once school's over."

"Oh," Finnick said, sounding surprised. "I guess I haven't really thought about that." 

Her lips pulled into a frown.

"Hey," Finnick said gently. "I'm sure whenever we have to make decisions about the future, we'll be prepared."

"You think so?" Annie asked worriedly. 

"Of course. Right now, let's just focus on this moment."

She nodded and rested her head on his shoulder. Sighing contentedly, Annie looked up at the clear sky, at the stars, at the still lake below them. Inhaling deeply, she breathed in the cool night air. 

Finnick was right. It wasn't quite the ocean, but it was special in its own way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> Holiday season is quickly approaching, so you'll get to meet their families soon! I'm pretty excited to write those chapters, so I hope you all are looking forward to them as well. 
> 
> Thank you for the support. :)


	7. Chapter 7

The weather continued to get colder as the weeks went on. Annie and Finnick stopped eating lunch outside, instead electing to order food and bring it to one of their apartments, to spare them an hour sitting in the brittle cold. 

That was how Annie found herself in her apartment with Finnick, eating a salad from the local diner at her kitchen table. 

"I'm so glad Thanksgiving is coming up," she said with a sigh. "I'm in desperate need of some time off."

Finnick grinned. "Same. Thanksgiving is nice, but the week long break doesn't hurt, either."

Annie nodded in understanding. "I'm flying back to California to celebrate with my family. It's a long trip but my parents wanted me to be home, and I want a break from campus for a little while. Are you going home?"

He glanced down at his lunch, seemingly embarrassed. "No, I'm just staying here."

She suddenly felt very foolish for bringing the topic up. Annie recalled his words from the swim meet weeks ago. 

_"My family and I...don’t exactly have the best relationship, that’s all."_

Still, it hadn't occurred to her that he would stay at school over break instead of spending the holidays with his family. Finnick was still focused intently on his lunch, not meeting her eye, and Annie frowned. 

"I'm sorry," she said awkwardly. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's okay, you didn't upset me," Finnick said, looking up again. He gave her a feeble smile that was probably supposed to be reassuring. "I don't usually go home for Thanksgiving, anyway. Staying on campus isn't anything new."

Annie knew those words were supposed to make her feel better, but they did the opposite. She didn't know the specifics about what his family was like, but clearly, he didn't like to be around them unless it was necessary. 

She didn't like the idea of Finnick spending Thanksgiving alone on campus. Even so, she wasn't sure what exactly she could do. "Okay," Annie said. "If you're sure."

Finnick nodded and took her hand. "I am. And, hey, I get the pool all to myself. That's a bonus, right?"

Annie smiled slightly. "Yeah. That'll be nice."

"I should go," Finnick said after a few more minutes of eating in silence. "I have a class soon. See you later."

"See you later," Annie echoed, standing up to kiss him. Finnick gathered up his things and left her apartment, leaving her standing in the kitchen alone. 

Annie cleaned up the mess from lunch, trying to keep herself occupied enough to distract from her growing feeling of unease. After pacing the kitchen anxiously for a few minutes, she opened up her laptop to get started on homework. 

However, attempting to do homework proved to be futile. She couldn't get her mind off of what Finnick had said earlier. That he wasn't going to celebrate with anyone. Distracted, she picked up her phone to see a text message from her mother talking about the upcoming break. Her fingers moved swiftly to type a reply. Annie was about to put her phone down when a new idea occurred to her. 

_**Annie:** Is it okay if I invite Finnick to celebrate with us?_

_**Annie:** He's just staying at school otherwise._

She could remember when she called her mother to tell her about Finnick. Her mother was possibly more excited than Annie herself. Although they'd never met, Annie's mother liked Finnick. Getting her to agree to have him over for Thanksgiving was no challenge. 

_**Mom:** Of course he can come! I look forward to meeting him. 😁_

_**Annie:** Great, thanks. I'll let you know what he says. _

Smiling to herself, Annie put her phone down. Of course, permission from her mother was no guarantee that Finnick would actually be interested in celebrating Thanksgiving with her and her family, but it couldn't hurt to offer. At least he had the choice to celebrate with a family, even if it wasn't his own. 

* * *

"You invited him to your house?" Madge asked sat down at a piano and played a few chords. "Over the holidays? I didn't realize you guys were that serious."

Annie sighed. Going shopping with Madge hadn't been her idea, but she was grateful for the opportunity to talk to another girl about her situation with Finnick. Even if she had to browse an endless supply of musical instruments to do it. "Well, I thought it was better than him spending Thanksgiving alone. And I haven't even talked to him yet. Should I not bring it up? Is it too much?"

Madge turned to face her, serious. "I don't know. Meeting the parents is a big deal. You've only been together, what, a month?"

"So you don't think I should invite him," Annie whispered, deflated. 

"I didn't say that. I'm just saying that it's a big deal."

She knew Madge had a point. In inviting him, she wasn't just inviting Finnick to her apartment. He was meeting her parents. That wasn't the same. 

"I know," Annie said. "But I'm still inviting him." The amount of conviction in her voice surprised her, but Annie knew it was the right decision. Even if he said no, at least she would have tried. The thought of Finnick all alone on campus while everyone else was celebrating made her heart ache. 

"Okay." Madge played a gentle melody on the piano. She was a music major; piano, to be more specific. Although Annie had never been the musical type, there was no denying that Madge's music was beautiful. "It's your decision. You know him better than I do. Think he'll say yes?"

"I don't know. I hope so."

Madge gave her a kind smile. "I'm sure it'll work out just fine."

Annie smiled back, glad for the support. "So, how's everything with you and Gale?"

"It's going well," Madge said. "Yeah, he's really great. I don't think I ever saw myself with someone like him, but I think we fit well together."

She understood why Madge felt that way. Gale was brasher than Madge was. Abrasive, almost. Madge was softer, more nurturing. Still, they balanced each other out nicely. 

"I'm glad things are going well," Annie said sincerely. Before Madge could respond, her phone buzzed in her pocket, halting the conversation. 

"Sorry," Madge said apologetically, reaching for her phone. "It's Gale. He wants to meet up. Would you mind if we put this on hold?"

"Not at all," Annie replied. "Go spend time with your boyfriend. I'll see you soon."

Madge smiled gratefully and walked away, her blonde curls bouncing as she moved quickly out of the store. Annie sighed, and leaned on a big piano to pull out her phone and text Finnick. His class should have ended by now, if she remembered correctly. 

_**Annie:** Are you busy right now?_

_**Finnick:** No just working on some homework_

_**Annie:** Want to meet at the cafe?_

_**Finnick:** Be there in 10_

Annie gathered her things and left the store, walking to the cafe. It was a short walk, only about five minutes, and she was able to find a spot inside. Due to the odd time, the cafe was nearly empty. 

Finnick arrived a few minutes later and joined her at the table, greeting her with a kiss. "Hey, what's up?"

"I was thinking about our conversation earlier," Annie began slowly. Finnick raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to continue. "I texted my mom and asked if you could spend Thanksgiving with us so you're not alone. She's fine with it, so you can come. If you want to."

For a long time, Finnick said nothing. Annie was beginning to worry that he thought her entirely ridiculous for suggesting something like that. She was about to call off the offer when he looked up at her. His face looked stricken, and something that looked to be tears were stuck in his eyes. 

"Annie, you really didn't have to do that."

"I wanted you to have the option. Besides, you can always say no if you don't want to come."

Finnick inhaled sharply. "I—you sure your parents are okay with this? I know you texted your mom but they don't actually know me. Do they want a stranger in their house?"

"You're not a stranger," Annie assured him. "I'm certain that you'll be welcome there."

"I'd love to go," he said eventually. "But I have to warn you. I've never met a girlfriend's parents before. I'm not really sure what to do."

Ignoring her momentary surprise, she said, "It's okay. I can help you, but you probably won't need it. I've told them a lot about you, and they love you already."

Finnick chuckled, seemingly relieved. "Thank you, Annie. Really. I—no one's ever done anything like this for me before."

Ignoring the tears stuck in her eyes, Annie reached across the table and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. No words were needed. With them, the actions said it all. 

* * *

The days went on as Thanksgiving Break grew closer. People were staring to pack up belongings to go back home, Annie included. The day her and Finnick were due to arrive at the airport was quickly approaching. 

"Do you have everything?" she asked him the morning they were scheduled to fly back home to California. "Toiletries, phone, something to do on the plane?"

"I have everything," he assured her, easing her nerves slightly. "It'll be fine."

Annie nodded and her and Finnick drove to the airport. It was busy, as she expected. Bustling crowds and so many people talking at once. She didn't like crowds because they were so easy to get lost in, as if the large mass of people could swallow her whole. 

She wanted to ask if Finnick would stay close, but she didn't want to sound petulant. What kind of twenty-one year old woman needed someone to hold their hand in a large crowd? Finnick would only think Annie childish if she asked him to stay in her line of vision. No, it was best to say nothing. 

To her relief and endless gratitude, Finnick seemed to sense that she was uneasy. He held her hand the whole time, always close. He didn't mention it once or make a big deal of it at all. No exasperated sighs or eye rolling or telling her to stop acting like a child. 

Just understanding. 

"So, tell me about your family," Finnick said conversationally as they boarded the plane for the four hour flight. "What should I expect?"

"Well, my parents were quite surprised to hear I had a boyfriend." Annie laughed softly, recalling their shock. "They probably already love you, just for, well, _getting me out of my shell,_ as they'd say. And I have an older sister, but she's doing a semester abroad in Paris and won't be joining us."

Finnick nodded, taking in the information. "Good to know. If we're going to spend the next few hours on this plane, we should probably get to know each other."

Annie eyed him curiously. "You say that as though we haven't been dating for a month."

"I mean, really get to know each other. The stuff nobody else knows. Like, what's your middle name?"

"My middle name?" she laughed. "Sorry, Finn, you've crossed the line. That's too personal."

"I'll tell you mine," Finnick said, turning to her with bright eyes. Annie grinned. 

"Fine. It's Elizabeth." She glanced down, cheeks tinted red. "It's old fashioned."

"Annie Elizabeth Cresta. It's perfect," Finnick said, giving her a smile. "Mine's William."

"Finnick William Odair," Annie echoed softly, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "I like it."

After a soft laugh, he asked, "Is Annie short for anything?"

"No," she respond, glancing out the window as they rose higher in the air. "Just Annie."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

Annie shrugged noncommittally. "I don't know. Isn't it?"

Finnick wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, he said, "Not at all. It's perfect." Annie smiled and leaned in to his embrace. 

"You think so?" she asked, and Finnick nodded. "Okay, next question. Oh, what was your favorite school subject growing up?"

"Does recess count?" he asked jokingly. Annie shook her head. "Gym, then. You?"

"I guess that explains your major. I liked Language Arts."

Finnick nodded, thoughtful. "Yeah, that sounds like you. What about your major? What got you in to psychology?"

Annie averted her eyes and cleared her throat awkwardly. The topic was heavy, and the conversation had been so lighthearted just a moment ago. Still, he did ask. It was only polite for her to respond. "I was diagnosed with anxiety when I was fourteen. And I just wanted to know why. Why my brain worked they way it did. And I thought, if there's a chance that I could learn about this, and help people, shouldn't I try?"

"That's very admirable," Finnick said, lowering his voice in solemnity. 

Annie shrugged. "Anyway, I took some classes and discovered that I was really interested in it, and here we are."

"Here we are," Finnick repeated, holding her close. 

She let a content sigh fall from her lips as she leaned in to his warmth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Annie's experiences with anxiety (especially the scene at the airport) are based partly on my own experiences. You'll get to see her grow in that area as she gets more certainty and confidence in her abilities and decisions. 
> 
> Thank you for the support. I'm really glad people are enjoying it so far. :)


	8. Chapter 8

"You look great," Annie assured Finnick, reaching up to still his hands, which had been busy adjusting his coat collar for the last two minutes. "They'll love you, I promise."

Finnick said nothing, only gave her a halfhearted smile and lowered his hands so they sat idle at his sides. 

She wrapped her coat tighter around her as a cold November wind blew past, and a small puff of air left her mouth, visible in the cold. Glancing once more at Finnick, she knocked on her parents' front door. They were immediately greeted by the smiling face of her mother and the warm light of the hallway spilling out onto the porch, welcoming them inside. 

"Annie," her mother greeted, embracing her, dark hair pulled into a twist on her head. "And you must be Finnick! It's so nice to meet you, Annie's told us so much about you!"

Finnick smiled, appearing relaxed. "It's nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Cresta. Thank you for having me."

"Oh, please, call me Julia," she responded. Julia stepped aside to welcome them into the house. "Really, it's wonderful to have you here. Our Thanksgiving was due to be rather small, anyway, seeing as it isn't our turn to host the family. And with our daughter Melanie in Paris, it's great to have another face around."

"Mel's studying architecture in France with her girlfriend," Annie interjected, facing Finnick. Turning to her mother, she asked, "Where's Dad?"

"Oh, he should be down in a moment. Can I get you two anything to drink while we wait?"

"Water's fine," Annie said, and her mother retreated to the kitchen. She sat next to Finnick on the worn couch, reaching for his hand. In all the time she'd known him, she had never seen Finnick nervous. Cautious or uncertain, sure, but not nervous. But his palms were sweaty despite his relaxed demeanor. Lowering her voice, she asked, "You okay?"

"Yeah," he said shakily. "I just want them to like me, you know?"

"They already like you. And this isn't a test. It's just dinner. Besides, you've already made a good first impression on my mother. Let my father ramble about physics for a bit and he'll like you, too."

"Physics?" Finnick asked, puzzled.

"He's a physics professor," she explained. Her mother returned with two glasses of water and she gave Finnick's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"There you go," Julia said, setting the glasses down on the coffee table. "Oh, Brian, there you are. Come say hello."

Her father emerged in the doorway, approaching them with a kind smile. "Good to see you," he said as he pulled her into a hug. "It's great to meet you, Finnick," he continued, turning to face Finnick as he pulled away. 

"You, too, Mr. Cresta."

Her father waved his hand dismissively. "Brian, please. Mr. Cresta is much too formal."

Finnick smiled in return and Annie felt internally relieved. He looked more comfortable, and his tense fingers loosened their grip on her hand. Her parents joined them in the living room for drinks and conversation.

"So, Finnick, what's your major?" Julia asked. 

"Sport industry," he replied with a smile. "I want to work in the athletics field."

Her parents nodded with approval, and Annie felt herself relax. She already knew they would like Finnick, but seeing how seamlessly he seemed to fit in with her family was an entirely different sort of elation. Conversation flowed easily between everyone, much to her and Finnick's relief. 

"What do you do, Julia?" Finnick asked conversationally. 

"I teach English at the local high school," her mother responded. Finnick grinned, glancing at her. 

"That's probably where Annie gets her love of the subject."

A timer went off in the kitchen and her mother's eyes widened. "That's the turkey. I should get that. Why don't you come with me, Annie?"

Bewildered, Annie stood up to follow her into the kitchen, sneaking a glance at Finnick now sitting alone on the couch. "I think you can handle getting the turkey on your own, Mom," she said, puzzled. 

"I could, but this isn't about the turkey." Changing topic abruptly, she said, "Finnick seems nice."

"Yeah, he's really great," Annie replied. 

"Well, you know that your father and I will support the two of you no matter what your future holds, alright?" Her mother began preparing the turkey at the counter, and Annie sat down in a chair at the table. 

"I know. Thank you. What's Dad saying to Finnick?"

Julia laughed softly. "Probably telling him not to hurt you, not that it's necessary. You might want to go back in there."

"Okay," she said, standing up. "See you in a minute."

Finnick still looked calm when she appeared back in the living room. Her father stood up and announced that he was going to join her mother in the kitchen, leaving Finnick and Annie alone in the living room. 

"What'd he say to you?" Annie asked. Finnick shrugged casually. 

"You know, the normal stuff about how I shouldn't hurt you. I told him I'd never hurt you and I think he believed it." He pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. 

"So everything's okay?"

His voice was soft, and she could feel his warm breath in her ear. "Everything's perfect."

* * *

The warm and comforting aroma of Thanksgiving dinner spilled from the kitchen within the next hour, and they all made their way to the dining room table once everything was spread out. Cooked turkey, steaming mashed potatoes, and bread rolls adorned the table. 

Annie took a place next to Finnick at the table as they all filled their plates. The table was silent save for the scraping of silverware on dishes. 

"So, Finnick, where are you from?" her dad asked, after a few minutes of eating. 

"Florida," Finnick responded. "Near the coast."

Her mother nodded, sipping her wine tastefully. "We're on the coast, too. The two of you can go down to the beach later, if you'd like. It's too cold to swim, but you can walk around."

Annie and Finnick exchanged glances and smiled. Swimming pools were fine and all, but she was looking forward to tasting the salt in the air again. And based on the way his eyes lit up at the mention of the beach, so was Finnick. 

"That'd be great," she said. "We can go watch the sunset."

Finnick grinned at her and she felt her heart skip a beat. 

"The dinner is delicious, Julia," her father said after a beat of silence. Her mother smiled. 

"Thank you, Brian." Turning to Finnick, she said, "It's always been a tradition of ours to do apple pie and ice cream for dessert. I know it isn't exactly traditional Thanksgiving dessert, but my mother started it years ago, and now I passed it down to the girls."

"That sounds great," Finnick replied, smiling with genuine earnest. Annie couldn't help but smile as well. It was like his happiness was contagious. If Finnick was happy, then so was she. 

"Usually Mel makes the pies," her mother continued. "She had such a knack for them. Since she's off in Paris this year, I did my best to recreate her recipe."

"I'm sure it'll be great, Mom," Annie said with a smile. "It took Mel a long time to get the recipe right, remember? I'm sure you remember some of the many attempts." She could still recall watching her sister as a teenager, tenacious as always, working to make the perfect apple pie recipe. 

Across the table, her father chuckled. "Yes, Melanie was very persistent. Does your family have any Thanksgiving traditions, Finnick?"

For a moment, she could see a hint of sadness flicker in his expression as his smile faltered slightly. It was gone in a second, replaced by a more casual expression. "Nothing out of the ordinary, no. Just normal Thanksgiving things."

Her father hummed in acknowledgement. "Well, those things are tradition for a reason."

Finnick nodded and took another bite of his dinner. Annie reached her hand under the table to give Finnick's hand a brief squeeze. The touch seemed to liven him up again, and he straightened his posture as he asked, "What do you do, Brian? I don't think I've asked."

She smiled slightly. Finnick knew what her father did, as she had told him earlier that day. But asking was clearly a good move, because her father leaned in, engaged in the conversation. "I teach physics at the college level."

Annie let her mind wander as her father rambled about physics for a while. So far, the evening had passed without incident; not that she expected anything less. If there was one thing she could count on, it was her family. The fact that they liked Finnick could only mean good things for them. 

The conversation paused as her mother reentered the dining room with the apple pie tray balanced securely on her palms. She set it down gently, then turned to her. 

"Would you mind getting the ice cream, Annie?"

Annie retrieved the ice cream from the kitchen and returned to find her mother cutting slices of pie. The first plate went to Finnick, as he was the guest. Once everyone had gotten some, Annie took a bite of her own. 

The pie was tart and the sweetness of the ice cream balanced it out nicely. Apple pie had always been her comfort food. It reminded her of home, of her mother's warm smile and her father's steady voice, of Mel's passion and sisterly advice. The rich flavors melted on her tongue and she sighed. 

"It's delicious, Mom," Annie said after a moment. "Just like Mel's."

Her mother smiled in satisfaction at the response. "I'm glad you think so."

Dinner wrapped up on a positive note. The meal and the pie left everyone satisfied and content to relax in the living room for a few minutes before cleaning up from dinner. Annie leaned in to Finnick's warm body on the couch and marveled at how natural it felt, like their bodies were made to be together. 

Finnick wrapped an arm around her and any tension melted from her body as she relaxed.

* * *

Doing the dishes after dinner was a methodical process, but it went quickly with four people. By the time everything was washed and put away, the sun was beginning its descent down, leaving room for the moon and the stars to take its place. 

"You two should go to the beach before it gets dark," her father said. "Julia and I can handle everything here."

All it took was one exchanged glance and smile and they were out the door, Annie leading Finnick to the beach. The walk wasn't long and soon enough, she could hear the waves breaking on the shoreline.

The chilly November air made it too cold to properly swim, but that didn't stop them from going down to the shoreline until they could taste the salt in the air. 

"It's good to be home," Annie sighed, breathing in the air. Beside her, Finnick was grinning widely. She took off her shoes and rolled up her pants and stood in the water until the chill turned her toes pink. 

"This is a nice place," Finnick said, his eyes scanning the beach. On Thanksgiving evening, the beach was nearly deserted, and they were some of the only people there. 

"Yeah," she agreed softly. "Are you having a good time?"

"Yes. Your family's great, Annie. And that pie didn't hurt, either."

She laughed, bright and loud. "That pie is half the reason I come home for the holidays," she joked, even though they both knew that wasn't true.

Annie leaned in to Finnick's embrace and they stood there, letting the waves crash over their ankles, until their feet were buried in the wet sand. They stood there long enough to watch the sunset paint streaks of orange and pale pink across the sky, giving the water below a purple glow.

"It's beautiful," she breathed, enthralled by the colors. 

"It is," Finnick agreed. "I'm really glad to be here with you."

She felt her face heat up. "So am I."

Hand in hand, they walked across the beach. Annie picked up shells and bits of sea glass to save, holding them up for Finnick to see. He gave enthusiastic opinions on each one, although Annie knew he couldn't have been that excited about sea glass. 

It was dark when they decided to head back home. Annie had sand in her toes and salt on her skin but it felt so natural, so much like home, that she didn't mind. 

The whole walk home, Finnick's hand never left hers. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took a little bit longer to get started, but I eventually was able to write it all out. I hope you all enjoyed this one. 
> 
> I’m not sure how much I’ll get done in the upcoming days, since my birthday is tomorrow and I’ll likely be preoccupied with that. However the next chapter should be up within a few days. :)
> 
> Thank you for reading and for all the support! <3


	9. Chapter 9

Annie returned to campus to find that snow had fallen over break. A white blanket covered the grass, shoveled out of the way near the walking paths. December was even colder than November had been, leaving lots of reason for warm coats and hot chocolate. 

The holiday season on campus was joyful. Decorations adorned the hallways, and Finnick even agreed to help decorate her and Johanna's apartment. 

"There." Finnick took a step back to admire the Christmas tree, set up in the corner of the room. He had been the one to put it there, being the strongest of the three. 

"Looks good," Annie said, stepping over a box of ornaments to admire the tree. "Now we just need to decorate it."

"Honestly, I don't know why you're bothering," Johanna grumbled from her place on the couch. "None of us will even be here for Christmas."

"It's festive," Finnick retorted, and Annie smiled in response. 

She leaned down to the box and picked up an ornament before setting it delicately on the tree. "Besides, we still have a few weeks before we go home. That's plenty of time to enjoy the decorations."

Finnick grinned and wrapped her in a hug from behind, causing her to gasp slightly in surprise. "Decorating is fun, Johanna, you should try. Makes the place feel homey."

Johanna rolled her eyes and retreated to her bedroom, closing the door with a thud. 

"Well, now that it's just us here..." Finnick pressed a kiss to her lips. 

"Finn," Annie laughed softly, pulling away. "The tree."

"Can't the tree wait?"

"No, we promised everyone they could come see the decorations in an hour. Unless you've conveniently forgotten that part of the arrangement?" Annie asked, a playful smile on her lips. Finnick sighed dramatically. 

"Fine, I guess we can get the decorations done."

Annie stood up to kiss his lips quickly. "Good."

She couldn't deny the lightness in the air. It always happened during the holidays. Snow fell softly outside, making the window cool to the touch. Finnick was wearing a green sweater that made his eyes shine vibrantly as he hung tinsel in the doorways. Soft Christmas music played through the speakers, and the lights on the tree lit up, forming the perfect picture of the Christmas season. 

The hour must have passed quicker than Annie realized, because she was jolted out of her thoughts by a sharp knock on the front door. Madge and Gale stood in the doorway, snowflakes settled in their hair, beginning to melt. 

Madge grinned at her, cheeks and nose flushed pink from the cold. "Are they up yet? Can we see?"

Annie laughed at her friends' enthusiasm. "Sure, come in. We're not entirely done, but you can see what we have so far."

Madge and Gale walked in to her apartment further, admiring the decorations. "It looks nice," Gale said. 

The door opened again and Katniss and Peeta filed in a moment later. Nobody said anything about the two of them coming together, but the pink that tinted their cheeks wasn't just from the cold, so they clearly knew what everyone was thinking. 

Finally, Johanna opened her bedroom door to find everyone standing in the living room in various stages of arrival. "Oh, great, everyone's here." Her tone was sarcastic but Annie could bet she was at least partially sincere. 

"I brought cookies," Peeta said, once everyone had sat down on the couches. A tray of beautifully decorated Christmas cookies sat on the coffee table, and they all reached for one excitedly. 

The Saturday meant no classes or responsibilities, so Madge had the idea to all get together while everyone was free. Luckily, Annie had set aside some time later in the evening to get some homework done, so she could devote the day to her friends and Finnick. 

"Peeta makes the best cookies," Finnick said, through a mouthful of cookie. A few crumbs escaped his mouth and Annie wrinkled her nose. 

They snacked on cookies and hot chocolate for a while before Johanna spoke up. "You know what we should do? Have a snowball fight."

Her suggestion was met with a variety of responses. The thought of freezing in the snow made Annie frown, but Finnick and Gale looked excited. It was eventually decided that they would go outside, so she accepted that she was outnumbered and went to grab her coat. 

"It'll be fun," Finnick assured her, wrapping a knitted scarf around his neck. 

"I hate the cold," she responded. "And snowball fights."

"Have you ever had a snowball fight?"

Annie paused. "No."

He grinned at her, as if expecting that answer. "Then how do you know you don't like them? C'mon, just try for a few minutes. For me?" His hand was outstretched and his eyes looked so pleading that she couldn't help but agree. 

"Okay," Annie said, taking his hand and reveling in its warmth. "Ten minutes. Then I'm going back inside."

Finnick gave her a satisfied smile as they walked out the door. The cold wind made her shiver and she instinctively leaned in to Finnick, hoping to use his warmth for as long as possible. 

Johanna, as it turned out, had a lot of experience with snowball fights, more so than anyone else in the group. Katniss and Gale and even Madge weren't bad, either. Finnick was enthusiastic but growing up in Florida provided little opportunity for snowball fights, and both she and Peeta elected to sit peacefully on the sidelines. 

It wasn't until a snowball hit her square in the chest, the cold soaking through her coat, that Annie felt motivation to participate. 

"Well, Cresta?" Johanna asked, amused. "Are you just going to sit there while I throw snowballs at you, or are you going to fight back?"

Using her gloved hands, Annie bent down and began to form her first snowball. 

* * *

The dark quietness of the library provided a nice reprieve from the excitement of the day. Annie shuffled through her textbook as she worked on a paper, the bright screen of her computer illuminating the table around her. Madge and Katniss sat across from her, silently working on their own homework. 

She closed her laptop when her eyes began to ache from strain. Annie was about due for a break, anyway. She could work diligently for hours if she let herself, but there was only so much of the bright computer screen that her eyes could take. 

"Taking a break?" Madge asked her softly. When Annie nodded, she said, "Oh, good. So am I." Madge closed her textbook and sighed. A few blond curls had escaped from the bun on her head, and slight dark circles lined her eyes. At the moment, she formed the perfect picture of the exhausted college student. "If I have to write one more paper on music theory, I think I'll scream."

Annie laughed softly. "As long as you go outside." She pointed to the sign on the wall, reading _Please keep quiet in the library._

Madge smiled back and propped her elbows on the table, resting her chin in her hands. "What's going on with you? You and Finnick looked awfully close today."

She felt her face heat up. "Everything's going well, if you must know."

Madge gave her a bright smile. Katniss looked up from her work to see the two of them engaged in conversation. With a tired sigh, Katniss shut her own laptop. 

"Hey," Madge said, turning to Katniss. "You and Peeta came in together today. What was that all about?"

Katniss' eyes widened before her expression went blank again. "I have a paper to finish," she said, moving to open her laptop. Madge reached for her hand, stopping her from opening the computer. 

Rolling her eyes, Katniss said, "We're friends, that's all. I was at his apartment because he asked if I would help him bake the cookies."

"I didn't know you baked cookies," Annie commented nonchalantly. 

"Well, I do. And that's all that happened."

Madge stifled a quiet laugh, stopping only when Katniss sent a scowl her way. Before Annie could contribute to the conversation any more, her phone buzzed in her pocket, the sound a disturbance amidst the quiet library. 

"Sorry," she said softly, taking out her phone to see a text message from Finnick. Madge gave her a knowing smile, saying nothing. 

_**Finnick:** Up for a movie tonight?_

_**Annie:** Sure. I'm at the library but I'm just about done._

_**Annie:** My apartment?_

_**Finnick:** Yeah, see you soon :)_

Smilingto herself, Annie pocketed her phone and began to gather her belongings. Katniss looked at her incredulously, and Annie remembered that she hadn't told her friends why she was suddenly picking up her stuff and leaving. 

"Finnick and I are going to watch a movie," she explained. "At my apartment. I'll see you later?"

Madge nodded. "Go have fun."

Annie walked out of the library and back to her apartment, pulling her coat tighter around her body to protect herself from the cold winter wind. The sun had already gone down, so there was no extra source of warmth. She quickened her steps in the hopes that it would get her home faster. 

Finnick was waiting at her door when she arrived. "I don't think Johanna's home," he said. "I knocked and no one answered. Or maybe she is home and didn't want to answer."

Annie laughed softly. "We should get you your own key or something." She pulled out her key and unlocked the door, stepping in to the dark and empty apartment, Finnick close behind her. 

Her fingers moved deftly to unbutton her coat and peel off her gloves. "I feel like it's getting colder every day. There has to be a limit at some point, right?"

Finnick laughed and began to make them both a hot chocolate. "You'd think so. But maybe that's just because we grew up where it was warm."

She hummed in agreement and accepted the hot chocolate gratefully, wrapping her chilled hands around the mug and inhaling the scent. "Thanks. So, about that movie?"

"Whatever you want to watch is fine with me," he replied, sitting down on the couch. 

Annie followed him shortly after, grabbing a thick blanket to wrap around herself. "You always say that. Let's watch something you like, this time." Finnick smiled at her, bright and happy, and something warm and comfortable bloomed in her chest. 

"Annie, honestly, I'm fine with anything. I didn't come here for the movie."

Her face flushed, but she couldn't deny the excitement that was also there. "Neither did I." She turned her body so she faced Finnick on the couch, and pressed her lips to his. A content sigh escaped his lips and Annie felt his warm breath on her skin. Everything about Finnick radiated warmth, comfort, safety. Life. 

She wasn't sure how much time had passed, only that the hot chocolate had long since gone cold by the time she returned to it. They did turn the television on eventually, for the purpose of actually watching a movie. Still, Annie remained wrapped in Finnick's embrace, her head resting on his shoulder. 

"This is nice," she said softly, and it came out as more of an exhale. 

Finnick said nothing, only pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. 

The movie continued to play but Annie let her mind wander. She could feel herself beginning to drift off to sleep and vaguely wondered if she should do anything about it. 

"You awake?" Finnick's voice roused her moments later. Annie sat up and blearily rubbed at her eyes. 

"Yeah. What's going on?"

"The movie's over," Finnick said, only to be interrupted by a yawn. "It's already late." The remaining part of the sentence hung in the air. _I don't see the point of going home._

"Just stay here," she said sleepily. "It's fine. It's late, it'd be easier for you to just spend the night here."

Finnick nodded, seemingly agreeing. "I'll take the couch."

Annie shook her head. She knew from experience that her living room couch didn't exactly provide the best sleeping experience. "No, you can share the bed with me, it's more comfortable." Hastily, realizing what she sounded like, she continued, "Just to sleep. If you want."

"Sure," Finnick said tiredly. "Lead the way."

Annie walked into her bedroom and pulled back the covers on her bed. She'd shared a bed with her sister before, but that was nothing like sharing the bed with Finnick. It was exhilarating and comfortable all at once, only she was too tired to feel her heart accelerate in her chest. 

Wrapped up in Finnick's arms, a tangle of limbs and bed sheets, Annie had the best sleep she'd had in a long time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First: I'm sorry this chapter took so long to get out! I had a lot going on these past few days, so I didn't have much time to write, and when I did have the time, I didn't have the energy or motivation to write. But I was eventually able to sit down and finish the chapter after a few days of writing a few lines here and there. Anyway, I know it's technically only a few days late, but it's later than I usually post. 
> 
> Also, I made a mood board for this fic! You can view it on my Tumblr by clicking [here](https://the-sun-and-the-sea.tumblr.com/post/626375259331969024/i-know-that-some-people-make-these-for-their-fics).
> 
> Thank you for all of the support so far, and I hope you all continue to enjoy. <3


	10. Chapter 10

"Beat you again."

Finnick brought his hands up to the edge of the pool to hoist himself out of the water so he sat on the rim. Moments later, Annie followed suit. 

"Well, you're the swimmer here. It's only natural that you win," she said lightly, moving her wet hair out of her eyes. Finnick laughed, water droplets from his hair dripping down his face.

"Do you want me to let you win next time?" he asked playfully, and Annie shook her head. 

"Of course not." She moved her feet in the water, sending ripples into the pool. "But we both know the real reason you asked me to come swim with you in the middle of the day."

"Okay, so maybe I'm procrastinating on writing a paper I don't want to write. But can you really blame me?" Finnick asked, and Annie laughed. 

"The semester's over soon, Finn, then we go home for Christmas. You may as well write that paper now."

"Speaking of Christmas, are you going home again?" he asked. 

Annie rolled her eyes. She knew he was just procrastinating, but she figured in wouldn't hurt to indulge him a little. "I'm not really sure. My parents are going to visit my sister Melanie in Paris. They invited me also but I'm not sure that I want to go."

He gave her an incredulous look. "Really? Why?"

"Nothing against my family or anything," she said with a shrug. "I'm just not a fan of flying. A few hours is okay but not halfway across the world. I still haven't decided if I actually want to go."

He nodded, understanding as always. "Well, I'm always here for you. I don't know what my holiday plans are, either. My mom might want me home, but even if I do go, it would be to see my grandmother. Not her."

Annie nodded but didn't press. His family was a touchy subject that she knew little about, and she didn't want to push him further. "I guess we can be uncertain, together, then." He gave her a small smile in return. "Now, you should get that paper done. No time like the present, right?"

Finnick sighed and stood up, water dripping onto the tiled floor. "You're right." He grabbed a towel and began to dry himself off. Annie had a class soon, so she stood up as well, using the towel to stop herself from dripping water everywhere long enough to make it to the locker room. 

She paused when a phone started ringing. She didn't recognize the ringtone, so it couldn't have been hers. But Finnick fumbled around in his bag, looking for his phone, which meant that it was his. It was strange, Annie thought, that she spent so much time with Finnick and had never once heard his phone ring. 

"Sorry," he said hastily, pulling his dry sweatshirt over his head. "I have to take this."

Annie nodded as he walked away, using the time to focus on gathering her own belongings. She could see Finnick in the hallway, talking on the phone with a look of disdain on his face. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but it was easy to tell that he wasn't enjoying the phone call. 

He returned to her a minute later, looking considerably more fatigued than he did ten minutes ago. 

"What was that about?" Annie asked gently, sensing his uneasiness. 

"That was my mother," Finnick muttered. "She wants me home for Christmas. You still planning to stay here?"

"Probably," she said slowly. "Why?"

"Because she wants to meet you."

Judging by the look of utter distaste on Finnick's face, that wasn't a good thing. Her nerves set in almost immediately, and whatever playful banter the two of them had going was gone. 

"She...wants to meet me?" Annie echoed, processing the words. 

Finnick nodded and sighed heavily. "Yeah. Don't worry, I haven't given her an answer. I wanted to let you decide. I'm going home regardless, so if you want to meet her, you'll be coming home with me."

He was trying to appear nonchalant, Annie could tell. But the subtle clenching of his jaw and the way his fingers fidgeted around his towel made it clear that the thought of going home for Christmas stressed him out. Finnick had been there for her countless times before. He supported her endlessly. But who was there to support him?

"I'll go," she declared, with a surprising amount of conviction. Finnick's eyes widened.

"Annie, you really don't have to. My mother is complicated, and you don't have to get all caught up in that." His hands fidgeted with the string of his hoodie, repeatedly tying and untying knots.

"I want to go, Finnick," she repeated more forcefully. Softening her voice, she said, "Really. I'll be fine. I don't want to go to Paris, anyway."

Finnick nodded. "Okay. Thank you. And if it's any consolation, my mother probably won't be there most of the time, with work and everything. We can hang out with my grandma. She's cool, you'll see."

Annie grinned at his newfound enthusiasm. "That sounds great. Now, I believe someone has a paper to write?"

Finnick rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "I'll see you later." He pressed a kiss to her lips and was out the door a moment later.

She stood there longer than she should have, watching his retreating form until he was nothing but a small dot far down the hallway, before she opened the door and made her way back to her apartment.

* * *

Annie accepted the warm coffee gratefully, wrapping her hands around the cup. Her and Johanna exited the cafe and walked into the cold winter air. They both had classes in the same building around the same time, so Annie suggested that they walk together.

"So, what are you getting Finnick for Christmas?" Johanna asked casually as the snow crunched under her boots. 

Annie gave her a side glance. "I didn't realize you were interested in what I'm getting him."

"Hey, just trying to make conversation." Johanna sipped her coffee, seemingly uncaring that it was scalding. "You do know what you're getting him, right?"

She shrugged. "I haven't really thought about it, actually. All I can think about is meeting his mother." Truthfully, she didn't know what to get Finnick. Annie had never been intuitive that way, just knowing what someone else would want. She could just ask him, but that would ruin the element of surprise. Which left the decision up to her. 

"Speaking of his mother," Johanna snickered, "Whenever you pick out his gift, just remember that it's something his mom and grandma will see."

Annie felt her face flush at the implications but said nothing. Moments later, both she and Johanna saw Katniss and Peeta walking down the path, clearly preoccupied with each other. 

"Hey!" Johanna called out to them, waving her hand. 

"Johanna!" Annie grabbed her friend's arm by the wrist and pulled it down. "They're doing something together. Let's not bother them."

"That's always how it is with you. Whatever, you can stay back if you want, but I'm going to go say hi."

Not wanting to be standing alone in the middle of the path, Annie followed with reluctance. Katniss was obviously awkward about having been caught, but Peeta was friendly as always. 

"Were you ever going to tell us that you two were together?" Johanna was asking by the time she made it over there. 

"It's really not like that," Katniss denied. Unbeknownst to her, Peeta's smile faltered at those words. 

"Hi, Annie," he said, directing his attention to her. Annie gave him a friendly smile back. 

"We were just heading to class," she said. "So we should get going. Sorry for bothering you."

Johanna rolled her eyes but followed her into the building. "You didn't have to do that."

Annie shrugged. "They were spending time together. No need for us to intrude."

"Always the polite one," she replied, sarcastic, but Annie could hear the fondness in her voice. "My class is down this hall. I'll see you later, and you can tell me all about what you're getting Finnick for Christmas."

She grinned back and ignored the pink that tinted her cheeks as she walked into her own classroom. 

* * *

Annie sighed and groggily rolled over, expecting to see Finnick occupying the other side of the bed. Her fingers stretched to the other side, feeling nothing but empty sheets. Sitting up, she took in her surroundings. The room was dark, and the early morning sunlight hadn't begun to glint through the curtains yet. It was still the middle of the night, and Finnick was not in bed. 

The two of them had developed a rather strange routine over the last few weeks. Sometimes, Finnick would come to her apartment in the evening, and they would fall asleep in her bed. Other times, she would go to his place, and they would spend the night in his bed. Neither of their roommates minded. Johanna could be prickly but ultimately she was harmless, and Peeta was considerate enough to avoid the topic of their sleeping arrangements altogether if he saw it bothered them. 

On this particular night, Annie had fallen asleep in Finnick's bed. Only, Finnick wasn't there. Her chest tightened slightly and she tried to ignore the increasing panic. 

She climbed out of bed as quietly as possible, moving around the dark and silent apartment with ease. Annie checked her phone for a text message only to come up empty, so she tried another option. Walking into the kitchen and scanning the room for a note, her eyes finally settled on a note on the kitchen table. 

She breathed an audible sigh of relief when she saw it was from Finnick. He had gone to the pool, the note said. There was only one reason why Finnick would decide to go exercise in the middle of the night. And Annie was quite certain that it had something to do with the visit to his mother in only a few short days. 

Opening the door as quietly as she could, and wincing as the hinges creaked, Annie walked down to the pool. 

As she had expected, Finnick was there, swimming methodical laps over and over. That was his solution to any worry, it seemed. To move until his body was too tired to continue, until he was too exhausted to think. 

"Odd time to swim, isn't it?" she asked lightly. Finnick pulled himself to sit on the edge of the pool. Annie rolled up her pants at sat beside him, letting her feet dangle in the water. "How are you doing?"

He shrugged. "Well, I'm swimming laps in the middle of the night. I think you know how I'm doing."

Annie nodded and automatically reached for his hand. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Finnick sighed and ran a hand through his hair, distressed. "I don't know. My mom and I don't really have a good relationship. We only see each other during holidays now. And I just—I don't know, I keep thinking of worst case scenarios."

"I know how that feels," she responded with a soft laugh. "What about your grandma? You said she's cool, right?"

Finnick smiled, finally. "Yeah, she basically raised me." His expression darkened. "My parents, they used to fight all the time when I was a kid. And they didn't even bother to hide it. They just screamed at each other. Anyway, they divorced when I was ten. I haven't seen my dad since. My mom worked all the time, so my grandma took care of me. She's excited to meet you, by the way."

"She sounds great," Annie replied honestly. "And I'm sorry about your parents, Finn. That's really messed up."

He shrugged, seemingly detached from the situation. "Not your fault. They could agree on one thing, at least. Both my parents always wanted me to go to the Olympics. They probably still have all of my childhood trophies and everything. They always liked that stuff."

"And what about you? Is that what you want?"

He let out a heavy exhale. "I don't even know what I want. I just know what my parents want. That's why I'm not looking forward to seeing my mother. Sometimes it feels like my parents care more about my achievements than they care about me, you know?"

Annie felt anger burn in her chest. Not at Finnick, but at his parents for treating him like some sort of trophy. For making him believe that he was only worthy when he succeeded, when he won. "Finnick." Turning to him, she took his hands. "I need you to know that you are more than what your parents want for you. And you have worth outside of your achievements. You know that, right?"

Finnick's eyes were misty when he looked at her. "Yeah, I do. You taught me that."

A few tears slipped from her eyes and she pulled him into a hug, holding him tightly as though he would blow away at any moment. He hugged back just as tightly. "I love you," she said. Her breath caught in her throat once she realized what she had said. 

Usually, Annie would have agonized over the decision of when and how and where to tell him. Now, though, it just spilled out. Immediately, she rushed to take back the words, to explain that it was an accident, but Finnick stopped her before she could say anything. 

"I love you, too."

Annie smiled so wide that her face started to hurt, but she couldn't stop. With him, it all felt so natural, so right. "I love _you,_ Finnick. Not your accomplishments or your trophies. _You._ "

He buried his face in her hair, muffling his quiet cries. "Thank you."

"Anytime," she said, rubbing circles onto his back in a soothing pattern. "I'm here for you. And when it comes time to deal with your mother, I'll be there for you, then, too."

"What about you?" he asked, regaining his composure. "Are you nervous?"

She shrugged. "A little. But I've found that nothing's ever quite as scary when you're with me."

"It's not me," Finnick said, shaking his head. "That's all you and your strength."

"You think I'm strong?"

He grinned at her, tear tracks still visible on his face. "Of course I do. You're one of the strongest people I know."

"Look at that," Annie said softly, laughing. "We've become one of those cheesy couples that we used to make fun of in the movies."

"Don't care," he said, pressing a warm kiss to her cheek. "I don't care what I am as long as it's with you."

"I rest my case."

She leaned her head on his shoulder, suddenly overcome with early morning fatigue. Annie was reminded through the heaviness of her eyelids that it was the middle of the night. Finnick was patient, though, and let her use him as a pillow for as long as she liked. 

"Annie." His voice woke her an indefinite amount of time later. "Open your eyes. You'll want to see this."

Slowly, she opened her eyes, delighted to find that Finnick was right. The sight did not disappoint. Dawn had come, and the sun was rising, leaving colorful streaks across the sky. The first beams of sunlight streamed through the windows, lighting up the room with natural light. It was the sign of rebirth, a fresh start, a new day. Annie sighed in awe. "It's so pretty."

Finnick nodded, green eyes gleaming. "I thought you wouldn't want to miss it."

"You were right." Another moment of admiring the view passed before she said, "We should go soon." People would start arriving at the pool for their morning workouts, and Annie knew she'd either have to swim laps or leave. "Let's go get some sleep. There's still a few more hours before we have to be anywhere."

Finnick nodded, standing up first then helping her to her feet. "You're right. Let's go back to bed?"

Hand in hand, they walked back to Finnick's apartment. The next time Annie checked the other side of the bed for Finnick, he was there, chest rising and falling. Up and down, deep and even breaths. She smiled contentedly to herself, glad he was getting some rest, before letting her eyes flutter shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter 10! Thank you for all of the support so far, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story. 
> 
> I'm excited to flesh out this story line a little more because we'll get more insight on how Finnick's upbringing shaped his character, which should be interesting to explore. I hope you all are excited as well. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much for reading. Kudos and comments are always appreciated, but no pressure. <3


	11. Chapter 11

Finnick restlessly drummed his fingers on the steering wheel again. As they approached his mother's house, he was growing increasingly worried, smoothing down imaginary wrinkles in his clothes or running a distressed hand through his hair. Annie reached for his hand and enclosed it in hers, stilling his movements. 

"I've got you," she said. Finnick only nodded and inhaled deeply. 

"I don't think I've ever been this nervous to see her," he admitted softly. "Usually we just make polite small talk and ignore each other."

Annie couldn't help the surge of guilt that went through her. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was extra nervous because she came along, and her meeting his mother made him worry. 

"I'm really glad you're here," Finnick said after a beat of silence. "Thanks for coming. Hopefully it'll just be small talk for a few days, then we can go back to campus for New Year."

Annie nodded. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

They pulled into a driveway about an hour later, and Annie could barely stop her jaw from dropping. Finnick had mentioned that his parents were wealthy, but seeing it in person was entirely different than hearing about it. 

The house was big, opulent, indulgent. Finnick didn't seemed fazed by the sheer size or quality of the house. "Did you grow up here?" Annie asked as they walked on the driveway to the front porch. 

"Yeah," Finnick replied, expression neutral. A smile lit up his face and she turned her attention to where he was looking. A moment later, he was running. "Mags!"

An old woman sat on the front porch, weaving a net of some sort. Her face lit up as she saw Finnick approach, and he wrapped the woman in a hug. Next to Finnick, she looked especially frail, although most people paled in comparison to Finnick. 

"Annie, this is Mags, my grandma," he said, beaming. "Mags, this is my girlfriend, Annie."

Mags gave her a wide smile and clasped her hand in greeting, without saying a word. Turning to Finnick, she said something, but Annie couldn't make out the garbled speech.

"I agree," Finnick said in response to whatever Mags had told him. "She said you're pretty," he supplied, looking at Annie with a cheeky smile. 

"Thank you," Annie said with a slight blush, because she wasn't sure how else to respond. Before they could continue, the front door opened. She turned her head to see a woman standing in the doorway, a frown lining her lips. 

The woman, who must have been Finnick's mother, looked cold upon initial impression. Her blond hair was tied neatly into a bun on her head, and her dress brought out her icy blue eyes.

"It's rude to stand on people's doorsteps, Finnick," his mother said, surveying the three of them with subtle disdain. "Come inside, all of you."

Mags went in first, heading up the stairs, and Annie followed Finnick inside, already beginning to feel nervous. Finnick's hands kept fidgeting with his shirt collar or the pockets of his pants, and she wanted nothing more than to reach for them, calming him down.

"Annie, this is my mother, Lydia Odair," Finnick said almost mechanically. "Mom, this is my girlfriend, Annie Cresta." She didn't miss how his voice seemed to warm up on her name. 

Lydia gave her an inspecting glance. After a moment, she said, "It's nice to meet you, Annie."

"It's nice to meet you, too," she responded politely, although _nice_ wasn't the most accurate word. 

"So Finnick tells me you met at the pool," Lydia said, inviting them into the kitchen for drinks. "You've seen him swim, then, I presume?"

Finnick shifted on his feet uncomfortably. "Yes," Annie said. "I was going to be late for class and he gave me a ride." She smiled at the memory, and Finnick looked relieved to be off the topic of his swimming. Finnick sat down on the living room couch and she followed, reaching for his hand.

His mother nodded as she set down the drinks. "That's lovely. Tell me about yourself, Annie. What are you majoring in?"

"Psychology," Annie said stiffly, offering no more commentary. 

"Interesting. I took a psychology class in college." A beat of silence passed before she said, "Finnick, why don't you give Annie a tour of the house?"

Finnick looked relieved at the suggestion, and he stood up to lead her around the house. "So, that's my mother," he said dully, once they were out of the room. 

"She's..." Annie trailed off, searching for a word. "Formal."

"Yeah," Finnick said with a soft laugh. "That's one word for it. She won't say anything too bad in front of you, I'd assume."

Annie nodded as he showed her countless rooms, all furnished with elegant furniture. "This place is nice."

Finnick shrugged. "It's okay. It's just a house."

She leaned into him then, and his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Despite the fact that he grew up her, the house was not Finnick's home. 

"We'll only be here a few days," she said. "Leave before New Year?"

Finnick gave her a genuine smile. "Leave before New Year."

* * *

Within the two days that they had been there, Annie had been successful at avoiding Finnick's mother. They exchanged polite small talk, but nothing deeper than that. She spent most of her time with Finnick and Mags, which suited her just fine. 

Despite her efforts at avoiding Lydia, Annie failed to consider that Finnick's mother might seek her out. 

"Come in, Annie, take a seat," Lydia said, as though she'd been waiting for Annie to emerge from the back garden outside. The door in the kitchen lead directly to the garden, and Annie had come inside for a glass of water, not to have a heart to heart with Finnick's mother. "You're a lovely girl."

"Thank you," she replied awkwardly, already searching for a way out. 

"I'm glad Finnick has a nice, responsible girl to settle down with. Perhaps you will help him see what's important. He has such potential, it'd be a shame to let that go to waste."

"Excuse me?" Annie asked blankly, unsure where the conversation was headed. Lydia only smiled primly. 

"Oh, I'm just saying that maybe you will help him see reason. You've seen him swim, you know how good he is. Maybe you can convince him to stop wasting his time on trivial things and try for the Olympics." Finnick's mother casually poured herself a cup of coffee. "Coffee?"

"No, thank you," she said distractedly. "With all due respect, Mrs. Odair, I think that Finnick can make his own choices."

Lydia laughed softly. "Of course, of course. I'm just asking that you keep the end goal in mind here. He won't listen to me or his father. He didn't even let us pay for his schooling."

"Maybe he's not listening to you because you won't listen to him," Annie said boldly, hot anger burning in her chest. "Have you ever asked him what he wants? Does he even want to go to the Olympics?"

Lydia's smile faltered, and she sipped her coffee. "You may not realize this, dear, but I know Finnick very well. I am his mother, after all. I know how talented he is, and what he's capable of. He absolutely loved swimming when he was a child."

"Actually," Annie began, getting angrier by the minute. "I don't think you know him at all."

"Mom!" Finnick stood in the doorway, looking caught off guard. He was at Annie's side in moments, reaching for her hand. "What the hell is going on?"

"Annie and I were just discussing your future," Lydia said nonchalantly. 

Finnick's eyed narrowed. "Discussing my future? I don't believe my future is any of your business."

Lydia sighed and took another sip of her coffee. "Honestly, Finnick, would it hurt you to just hear me out? I really believe this is the right path for you, and you could do so well—"

"None of that matters if it's not what I want," Finnick snapped. "And interrogating my girlfriend isn't the way to go about this. If you want to discuss my future, you come to me."

"I wasn't interrogating her, we were having a civil conversation," his mother said, her tone artificially sweet. Turning to her, she asked, "What do you think he should do?"

"I think Finnick should make his own decisions," Annie replied shortly, acutely aware of Finnick's hand around hers. "And I'll support him no matter what he chooses."

Finnick smiled at her, the appreciation clear in his eyes. "We can talk later, Mom," he said, and the two of them walked out of the kitchen, leaving Lydia behind. Annie didn't turn back to see her reaction. 

"I'm sorry," Finnick said as he led her outside to the pool, where Mags was sitting on a chair. "I didn't think she'd corner you like that."

"You don't have to be sorry," she said, still angry at his mother. "It's not your fault your mother's so..."

"Controlling?" he supplied, and Annie nodded. "Really, though, I didn't think she'd have the audacity to speak directly to you about my future. What'd she say, anyway?"

"She wants me to convince you to try for the Olympics. I told her that you'd do what you wanted."

He grinned and sat down beside Mags in one of the pool chair. Pressing a kiss to her cheek, he said, "Hi, Mags."

Mags gave them both a smile. Annie felt her anger melt away gradually as she sat by the pool with Finnick and Mags, drinking lemonade and watching as the leaves of the trees rustled in the wind. 

* * *

She rolled over in the big bed again for possibly the hundredth time that night. Annie was sleeping in one of the guest rooms, alone. Or trying to sleep, at least, because any attempts she made were futile. It had been weeks since she'd slept alone. The bed felt too big and empty without Finnick there to occupy it. 

The possibilities ran through her mind. Would it be inappropriate to go into Finnick's room and share the bed with him? Or for Finnick to come to her? It wasn't her house, after all, and Annie didn't feel comfortable walking around in the middle of the night like she belonged there. 

Although she usually tried to stay off her phone past a certain point in the evening, Annie couldn't help but reach for it. Maybe Finnick was in bed, lying awake as well. Maybe she could text him. 

Lucky for her, she didn't have to. The screen lit up to reveal a text from Finnick, sent five minutes ago. 

_**Finnick:** Are you awake?_

_**Annie:** Yeah. Can't sleep. _

_**Finnick:** Same. Stay where you are. _

_**Annie:** What?_

Finnick never answered her message, but about a minute later, she heard a gentle knock on her door. She stood up to open the door, relieved to see Finnick standing on the other side. His hair was tousled and he was in his pajamas, and Annie was acutely aware of her own T-shirt and shorts. She looked a mess. Still, Finnick appeared happy to see her. 

"I've never been so happy to see you," Annie whispered, welcoming him in to the dark room. "I've hardly slept at all."

"Neither have I," Finnick grinned, pulling back the covers and climbing into bed beside her. "I guess I missed you stealing all the blankets."

"I do not!" she whispered indignantly, but she couldn't keep the playful smile off her face. 

He laughed softly. "You do, a little. But it's okay. I don't think I can sleep without you anymore."

"I can't either," she said tiredly, curling up at his side. "You're warm and I missed you." Her voice was muffled by the pillows surrounding her head. Annie rested her hand on Finnick's chest, feeling the gentle but consistent beat of his heart. She liked how everything was softer at night. They whispered to each other in the dark, never raising their voices. The room was quiet, dark, still. 

"I missed you, too."

"Will your mother care that we're sharing a bed?" she asked, already feeling herself start to drift off. 

"She shouldn't," Finnick said, holding back a yawn. "I saw her packing last night. I think she has a business trip coming up or something. She might hold back to say goodbye tomorrow morning for the sake of politeness, but I don't think we'll see much of her anymore."

Annie nodded. "Okay. Is that a good thing?"

He sighed heavily. "Yeah, I think it's for the best. She won't be here on Christmas, but Mags will, and she's who I really wanted you to meet."

"I can't believe Christmas is tomorrow," Annie said. It had felt like only yesterday that they met in October, yet it also felt like years ago. 

"What'd you get me?" he asked playfully. 

"I can't tell you, otherwise it won't be a surprise," she whispered back. The search for Finnick's gift had been difficult, because she couldn't find anything in the store that was worthy of him. 

Finnick gave a tired hum of acknowledgement. "I guess that's true." A beat of silence passed before he said, "Have you ever thought about sharing an apartment?"

"What?" Annie asked, the non-sequitur throwing her off balance. 

"We share a bed every night," he said, although he was interrupted by a yawn. "So wouldn't it make sense to just move in together?"

"I guess," Annie said softly. Despite the uncertainty, she couldn't deny that the idea sounded appealing. "But that's the kind of thing that needs planning. Where would we move? And when? Do we even have money?" The last question was possibly a little ridiculous, now that she'd seen Finnick's house, but the others were worth considering. 

"I think we'd have enough if we wanted to buy a new apartment. But maybe it would be easier to just keep one of our own. And now's a good time to be thinking about it, with the beginning of a new semester and everything."

Perhaps it was her tired brain, but his points sounded logical enough. And the idea of sharing an apartment with Finnick was undeniably exciting. "I'll think about it," Annie promised. 

"Okay," Finnick said. He rolled over to face her and even in the dark, she could see his smile. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she echoed. As much as she enjoyed talking with Finnick, the night was drawing on, and she felt her body settle comfortably next to Finnick's. 

Within minutes, she could feel the gentle rise and fall of Finnick's chest, and Annie let herself fall asleep to the sound of his steady breathing. 

* * *

Christmas morning dawned bright and cheerful, and Annie woke up feeling well rested. Finnick was still in her bed when she woke, and by the looks of it, still asleep. The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, and looking outside was so bright it almost hurt. Still, she made her way to the bathroom to get ready for the day. 

By the time she emerged, Finnick was up and dressed in a red Christmas sweater. "Good morning," she said, and Finnick beamed. "You look happy."

"It's Christmas," he replied, as if that explained everything. Annie laughed, and they made their way downstairs to the Christmas tree. 

Mags was already down there when they arrived, sitting on a couch by the fire. Finnick gave her a kiss on the cheek and sat down beside her. Although they were no longer children, there were quite a few presents under the tree. 

Gifts were passed around, and the mood was light. Mags even gave her a beautiful knitted green scarf. "Thank you," Annie said, astonished. "I'm sorry I didn't get you anything."

But Mags only waved her hand dismissively and gave her a smile that said everything was alright. 

She presented her gift to Finnick next. It had taken some time to come up with an idea, and seeing as nothing in the stores could possibly suffice, Annie had taken to making her own gift. Finnick tore the paper slowly, as if he was savoring it. The edges were beginning to peek out of the paper, revealing a handmade scrapbook. The cover was a picture of the two of them on the beach, taken at Thanksgiving. 

Once it was unwrapped, Finnick's expression was blank, and Annie was worried for a moment that he didn't like it. But when he looked back up at her, eyes filled with tears, she knew that couldn't be the case. 

"It's beautiful," Finnick said, shuffling through the pages. The book started when they met in October, pictures of their first coffee date and the Halloween party. One that Finnick had taken of her at the cafe, hands wrapped protectively around a coffee mug and grinning into the camera. 

There weren't only pictures in the book. She had saved other scraps of memories. A hair ribbon from her Halloween costume. The dinner receipt from the night of Finnick's swim meet. Wrappers from the snacks they had on the car ride to Finnick's cabin on her birthday. 

Finnick was silent as he carefully flipped through the pages. He looked up at her again when he reached the end of the pictures, many empty pages still left in the book. 

"So we can fill in more later," she explained, and Finnick gave her a wide smile. 

"Now your present," he said. He handed her a small wrapped box, and Annie took time undoing the bow. Inside was a menu to a restaurant, and she gave him a bemused look. 

"There's this place I know," Finnick explained. "It's on the pier, so we can eat right out by the ocean."

"Are they even open on Christmas?" Annie asked. 

"For you? Absolutely."

She had all day to think about what Finnick meant by that. Christmas day was uneventful but not boring, just the kind of relaxing she liked. Her parents called to wish her Merry Christmas. Annie, Finnick, and Mags spent time together. The way Finnick acted around Mags was so different than the cold way he acted around his mother. It was refreshing to see him happy. 

Mags went to bed early, so she and Finnick said goodnight. Once they were both sure she was comfortably upstairs, Finnick turned to her. "Okay, the restaurant's not fancy, so you don't have to dress up unless you want to."

She picked out the gray dress she wore on their first date, and paired it with tights and boots. Finnick met her by the door and escorted her to the restaurant. 

It was on a pier, just as Finnick said, but what was more surprising was that it was entirely empty. "Finn, I think the place is closed," she said, glancing inside at the empty tables. 

"Don't worry," he replied, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "We're the only ones here."

"Are we allowed in?"

His grinned at her. "Of course. I pulled a few strings and had them open. You can pick any seat you want."

Annie just stared at him for a moment, overcome with emotion. Gratitude, appreciation, overwhelming love. She pressed her lips to his and didn't pull back for a long time. "If we're the only ones here, we may as well make the most of it."

She selected a seat near the dock, so the ocean was right beside them. The view was beautiful and the food was delicious, but her favorite part of the evening sat at the table across from her. 

"Merry Christmas, Annie," he said, reaching for her hand across the table. Annie smiled and took his hand. 

"Merry Christmas, Finnick."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter ended up being longer than I had planned, but I think that's okay. We'll be back on campus for the New Year, and then the spring semester. I think I'll end this book at the end of the school year, which means we're probably close to halfway done? I'm really not sure exactly what I want to do yet, so I can't give you an exact chapter number. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know what you thought. Thank you for all the support! :)


	12. Chapter 12

It didn't take Annie long to adjust to being back on campus. Classes hadn't started back up yet, so she and Finnick were just living there. It had been unanimously agreed upon that their friends would all spend the New Year on campus together. 

"How does this look?" Finnick asked, stepping back so Annie could see the sign in the doorway, proudly reading _Happy New Year!_ in big, excited letters. 

"It looks good," she replied. "But do we need a sign inside if the party's outside?"

"Sure, we do. It's for when we come back in."

Annie laughed softly and kissed him on the cheek. "Alright, if that's what you want." She walked to the kitchen to rinse out her coffee cup. Finnick's apartment had become more and more familiar over the last few days, and she had gradually begun to feel more and more at home there. It was the little things, at first. A toothbrush in the bathroom sink. A spare change of clothes in the dresser. Her shampoo in the shower. 

"I'm going to brush my teeth," Annie said, and Finnick nodded. "Then we can leave."

"Finally," Finnick said with an over dramatic sigh. 

"You are a child sometimes," she groaned as she rolled her eyes. Finnick only gave her a smile that made her frown melt away. 

"But you love me," he retorted. 

Annie stood a moment longer in the doorway to the bathroom, a fond smile playing on her lips. "Unfortunately." 

He grinned back at her, because they both knew that it was far from unfortunate. 

Eventually, once they were both presentable and ready to go, they made their way outside to help set up for the New Year's party. It was an annual tradition, and although Annie had little interest in parties, this one was fun. Her friends were all coming, as were most of the students on campus. 

"Katniss!" she called, spotting Katniss and Peeta across the sidewalk. Although Peeta lived with Finnick, he woke up early, and was gone by the time they woke up. 

"Hey," Peeta said as the two approached them. "Excited for the party?"

Annie shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

Madge, Gale, and Johanna joined them minutes later, until the whole group was gathered. The party didn't start until the evening, so some students volunteered to help set up during the day. Annie set up the table for eating and drinking, along with Johanna. 

"You haven't been around the apartment much lately," Johanna said, raising her eyebrows. Annie cleared her throat awkwardly. 

"Yeah, uh, I've been at Finnick's."

Johanna laughed. "I figured. So, is he good?"

"What?" she asked as she pulled a plastic tablecloth over a table. 

"In bed," Johanna clarified. "Is he good in bed?"

Annie focused on the task at hand to avoid looking her friend in the eye. "Oh, I don't know. We haven't gotten that far yet."

"Do you want to get that far?" Johanna asked, eyeing her seriously. "Because it's fine if you don't."

She raised her eyebrows. "Weren't you just accusing me of being a prude a few months ago?"

Johanna waved her hand dismissively. "Listen, if you want to sleep with him but you're too scared or whatever, you should sleep with him. If you're not sleeping with him because you're not interested in sleeping with him, then you shouldn't sleep with him. I like sex but I don't date people, maybe you're the opposite. No big deal."

Annie paused, thinking Johanna's words over. She loved being close to Finnick, that much was true. But she'd never had sex before, and the idea wasn't exactly appealing to her. There was a certain level of physical intimacy that she had yet to cross, with Finnick or anyone else. "I don't know," she said eventually. "I've never really thought about sleeping with him. It's the most logical forward step, though, isn't it?"

Johanna shrugged and gave her a small smile. "It doesn't have to be. Fuck societal standards. If you don't want to have sex, don't."

She was surprised at the flood of relief that she felt at those words. Before they could continue the conversation, Peeta called them over to his table of baked goods. 

"Johanna, Annie! Come try the cookies before they're gone!"

Laughing, she joined the others at the table, greeting Finnick with a quick kiss. His mouth tasted of the sugary icing on the cookie he just ate. Annie accepted a cookie of her own as well as a cup of hot chocolate, because the bitter wind was cold, and the lack of sunlight wasn't helping the temperature any. 

Although she wouldn't have normally chosen to spend the day outside in the middle of winter, there was something special about celebrating the holidays with her friends and Finnick. Peeta's baked goods made the situation all the more enjoyable, and Annie felt her worries gradually decrease as her body relaxed. 

"Cookie?" Finnick asked, wrapping a warm arm around her and offering her a chocolate chip cookie. 

"How many of those have you eaten?"

He gave her a cheeky smile. "A few. Just try one, they're really good."

She bit into the cookie as the warm chocolate melted in her mouth. A sigh of pleasure escaped her lips and Finnick gave her a satisfied smile. 

"Now you taste like chocolate," he said after pressing his lips to hers. Annie laughed. 

"You like it?" she asked playfully. 

"I always like you," he replied back, and Annie got the feeling that he wasn't entirely joking. 

* * *

The party had been in full swing for over an hour, and Annie was starting to feel the effects of being in the cold all day. Her toes were numb in her boots, and even Katniss' warming packets could do nothing for her cold hands. Numerous warm beverages had been passed around, but she'd had her fill of hot chocolate, and drinking coffee so late in the evening was definitely not an option. 

Her eyes scanned the crowd for Finnick. Maybe he would have something to warm her up a little. Annie's heart sank slightly when his familiar head of bronze curls was nowhere to be found. She tried to tell herself not to worry. He was probably off with some friends or something. 

If not Finnick, her next option was one of her friends. There had to be a familiar face around somewhere. She couldn't be entirely alone. 

Annie wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans, suddenly hoping for somewhere quiet she could gather her thoughts. Her breathing started to quicken and she had to put effort into keeping it regulated. 

Inhale, exhale, repeat. 

Finally, she was able to sit down under a tree a little ways away from where the party was going on. She could still hear the blaring music and see the flashing lights, but it felt as though they were miles away. Her chest was tight from panic and Annie was reminded once again how uncomfortable panic attacks could be. 

Inhale, exhale, repeat. 

Slow and methodical breaths, just like she practiced. In and out. The process was tiring and tedious but necessary to regain control of her body. Her stomach churned unpleasantly and she winced.

She let her head lean on the trunk of the tree, relieved when her heart stopped beating erratically. Annie heaved a sigh, fatigued from the ordeal. At least she had gotten through it. The worst was over. The remaining waves of anxiety still clung to her, but she was able to stand up and make her way back into the crowd. 

"Annie!"

She spun around to see Finnick behind her, reaching his hand out. She took it gratefully. "Hey, Finn," she said, still out of breath. 

"You okay?" he asked, a concerned frown replacing his smile. 

"Fine. Just tired. I'm glad you're here."

Finnick smiled and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "I'm glad you're here, too. I think we're all getting champagne soon. Want to join the others so we can celebrate the New Year?"

"Yeah," Annie said, glad to be reunited with her friends. It was nice having somewhere to belong. 

Somebody passed her a flute of champagne and she took a sip. The liquid was bubbly and sweet, and tickled her throat all the way down. She giggled, and Finnick gave her a smile. 

"To us," he said as he raised his drink and brought their glasses together. 

"To us," Annie echoed, feeling more comfortable by the minute. 

Her hands, which were previously cold, felt comfortably warm wrapped in Finnick's. Peeta and Katniss sipped champagne next to them, fingers entwined and smiling brightly. Madge and Gale were on their other side, laughing at some joke of Johanna's. 

The countdown to the New Year began, and Annie felt her voice go hoarse as she chanted with the crowd. Her friends surrounded her and Finnick was next to her, and she couldn't think of a better way to ring in the New Year. 

"Happy New Year," Finnick said against her lips as he pulled her in for a kiss. Annie laughed excitedly. 

"Happy New Year."

Overall, that moment marked a great start to the New Year. Annie sighed with satisfaction when her and Finnick broke the kiss. With his arm around her shoulders, she knew she was exactly where she needed to be. 

* * *

The next few days passed in a blur of relaxation and quality time with Finnick; two of Annie’s favorite things. Without classes or other responsibilities to occupy her time, her days were entirely open. The spare time gave the two of them plenty of opportunity to discuss the prospect of moving in together.

"I think we should get the rest of my stuff," Annie said a few days after New Year as she and Finnick sipped coffee at his kitchen counter. "If that's okay with you."

"Like, to move in?" Finnick asked, his confusion replaced by a wide smile. "I'd love to."

Annie blushed. "I basically live here anyway. We may as well make it official. Classes don't start for another few days, so we have the time. And Johanna can rent my room to someone else, so all we have to do is make sure it's okay with Peeta."

"Oh, he'll be fine. He hasn't been sleeping here as much anyway," he replied, already looking more excited. "When can we do it?"

"Whenever you want," Annie said, laughing at his enthusiasm. "Preferably after breakfast, though."

Finnick nodded and they began to discuss what all Annie needed to move. "I'll make room for your clothes in the closet," he promised. 

"There's already room for my clothes in the closet," Annie said. 

"I'll make more room."

She laughed and kissed his cheek as she rinsed out her mug in the sink. "I'm not sure I'll need it, but I appreciate the offer. I'll probably only be moving personal stuff, anyway. Clothes, decorations for my room, things like that. I guess we'll have to find somewhere to put it all."

Finnick pulled her in for a kiss as she turned back around. "If it means I get to spend all day with you, I'm in."

Annie grinned as she pulled away. "You're cute."

"It's why you like me, isn't it?" he asked. 

"Among other things."

With Finnick's excitement, it didn't take long for the two of them to get ready. Annie's apartment wasn't far from Finnick's, which she was glad for. That would make the moving process much easier. Johanna was watching television on the couch when they arrived. 

"Hey," she said, catching sight of the empty boxes in their hands, ready to be filled with Annie's things. "Finally moving out, Cresta?"

Annie glanced down at the floor awkwardly. "Yeah, I guess so. I can wait a little if you need time to find someone to split the rent with."

"Nope, I've got all month. You two have fun moving."

"Aw, you don't want to help?" Finnick asked jokingly. Johanna rolled her eyes. 

"Spending hours walking to and from your apartments carrying boxes? No, thanks, I think I'll manage fine here," she replied. 

Finnick gave her a smile as they packaged the things in Annie's room. Stripping the room to its bare foundations was nostalgic. She'd lived in the apartment with Johanna since sophomore year, and seeing the room so empty was admittedly a little sad. 

"You alright?" Finnick asked, seeing her forlorn expression. Annie nodded. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just weird seeing the room so empty."

He nodded in understanding and took her hand. "I know. But it's a good thing, too. We're moving in together."

She smiled, because he was right. The moment was bittersweet. While she was saying goodbye to an important phase of her life, she was welcoming an amazing new change. "You're right. Want to get this stuff back home?"

Finnick's eyes lit up when she called his place home. "Absolutely."

By the end of the day, Finnick's room had been modified to fit her stuff as well. "It looks great," Annie said honestly, as soon as the last object was in place. "Like it's all meant to be here."

"It is meant to be here," Finnick said, kissing her cheek. "You're meant to be here."

She felt her face flush. "You're really cheesy sometimes, you know that?"

Finnick laughed. "Sure, but I'm pretty sure you love it."

Annie leaned in to his side and he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Yeah, I do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, thank you for reading this chapter. I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Okay, so I've considered the idea of making Annie asexual for a while. I don't think it's entirely out of character for her, and of course, Finnick will be respectful of whatever she does or doesn't want to do. This is partially because I'm asexual myself, and honestly don't like to read or write smut scenes. So, apologies to those of you who wanted to see more intimacy with the two of them; where they're at now is probably as far as they'll (explicitly) get. I may allude to more in later chapters if I feel like it's a natural progression of their story arc, but it won't be explicitly written. 
> 
> I believe that's everything I wanted to mention for this chapter. Thank you for the support. <3


	13. Chapter 13

Annie opened her eyes and groaned tiredly, the beeping of an alarm rousing her from sleep. The room was still dark and the sun hadn't risen yet, and for a second, she racked her brain for a reason her alarm would be going off so early. As expected, she came up empty. 

The bed shifted as Finnick got out, and Annie reached her hands across to feel the empty sheets. They were still warm. "What..." she groaned, her tongue feeling like cotton in her mouth. 

"Shh," Finnick said softly. His fingers lightly smoothed her tousled hair back from her face. "It's okay. Go back to sleep."

"Where are you going?" Annie asked, a little more coherent now. Finnick made quiet work of getting dressed, and she could see his silhouette in the dark room. 

"Swim practice," he replied. "I'll be back in a few hours."

"Okay," she sighed, and rolled over, already beginning to drift off again. Finnick pressed a feather light kiss to her forehead and muttered something that she didn't quite catch before her eyes fluttered shut again. 

The next time she woke, it was to the sound of her own alarm. The sunlight had begun to stream through the windows and Annie smiled slightly. Waking up before the sun was unpleasant because it always felt like waking up in the middle of the night. If it weren't for his swim practice, she knew Finnick wouldn't do it. 

The sun provided light and Annie was able to see the room better. Finnick had an annoying habit of leaving his dirty laundry on the floor, which she somehow hadn't noticed until they actually moved in together. Or maybe it just wasn't as important before. Regardless, she sighed in exasperation as she stepped over a pile of clothes on the floor.

The apartment was empty, with Finnick at practice and Peeta either already gone for the day or with Katniss. She was glad for that. Annie liked quiet in the mornings. She sipped at her coffee while scrolling on her phone, and almost dropped it in surprise when it buzzed in her hand. 

_**Madge:** Want to get breakfast?_

_**Annie:** Sure. Cafe in 10?_

_**Madge:** See you there_

Annie was glad for the invite. Her morning was due to be quiet, anyway, seeing as her first class wasn't until the afternoon. Madge was good company and not very draining, so Annie got dressed and brushed her hair with relative haste. 

The cafe was crowded when she arrived, and she sighed internally for agreeing to go during its busiest hour. Many students on campus ate at the school's cafeteria, but there were still a good few who elected not to, Madge and Annie included. 

"Annie," Madge called, waving her over to a table in the corner. She sat down across from her friend, relieved to found her. "I texted Johanna to see if she wanted to come, but she didn't respond. How's your morning been?"

"It's been okay," she said as her eyes scanned the menu. She decided against ordering a coffee, because she'd already had a cup at home and there was no reason for that much caffeine. "Finnick's alarm woke me up at five in the morning, though."

Madge frowned, sympathetic. "That sucks. I'm glad Gale doesn't have to wake up early. I wake up earlier than he does, most days, but he usually doesn't mind. What was Finnick doing up at five in the morning?"

Annie laughed softly. "He's got swim practice."

Madge hummed in acknowledgement. "So, you like living with him?"

"Yeah, I do," Annie said after a pause, recalling the past week she'd spent living with Finnick. He could be messy sometimes, but she loved being so close to him all the time. 

"And it's probably extra nice since it's just the two of you there most of the time," Madge continued, eyes twinkling. Annie's face flushed. 

"How'd you know that?"

"Katniss."

A beat of silence passed before they dissolved into laughter. Annie had never been one for gossip, especially about romance, but indulging her childish side every now and then could be refreshing. 

"Well, good for them," Annie said, after she and Madge recovered from the laughing. "They're good together."

Her friend nodded, still smiling as she sipped her coffee. Madge groaned as her phone buzzed in her pocket. "Sorry," she murmured, checking the notification. "I have class soon, so I should go. Say hi to Finnick for me."

"Okay," she replied, grinning slightly. "See you later."

Madge gave her a final wave and made her way out the door, leaving Annie alone at the table. It was the stage of mid-morning in between breakfast and lunch, an awkward time of day if you had nothing to occupy your time with. Annie left the cafe and went home, already trying to come up with something to do. 

Her swimsuit was folded in her dresser, left untouched since her last visit to the pool weeks ago. Without thinking, she grabbed it and put it on. Swim practice was already over and many people were in class, so Annie knew that it would be a good time to swim. 

She didn't see any familiar faces when she arrived, so she focused instead on swimming laps. Her muscles ached, not used to the exertion of swimming after weeks of dormancy. Still, the exercise felt refreshing in a strange way, and Annie let the methodical movements consume her until nothing else existed. 

* * *

"I just don't know how to feel about it," Annie sighed as she leaned back on the couch in Dr. Aurelius' office days later. "I love being around him, but living with him is different. Do you think it was too soon?"

Her therapist shook his head. "It's natural for couples to have trouble adjusting when they first move in together. You're getting a close up view of all of his annoying habits, and he's getting a close up view of yours. You may be annoyed with him, but that doesn't mean it was the wrong decision."

She nodded, thinking the words over. It was true that sometimes Finnick left his laundry on the floor or forgot to rinse off his dinner plate, but that was part of life, wasn't it? "I guess. Maybe we just need to give each other space sometimes."

Dr. Aurelius smiled. "That sounds very beneficial. And I'm sure that the two of you can talk about any issues that arise in the future."

Annie nodded again, feeling more in control. Although it often helped her in many ways, there was also something draining about therapy. The feeling was similar to finishing a workout; tiredness from exertion but also satisfaction from doing something beneficial to your mind or body. 

"Is there anything else you want to bring up before we go?" her doctor asked near the end of the session. She said no and left the office, ready to go home. It was only afternoon, but Annie was ready to curl up on the couch with a blanket and not move until dinner. 

Finnick and Peeta were both there when she arrived. "Hey," she said, taking off her coat and hanging it on the rack. 

"Annie," Finnick said, grinning. He stood up from the couch and pressed a soft kiss on her lips. "How was therapy?" he asked softly, whispering the words on her lips. 

Annie laughed. "You don't have to whisper, you know. And it was fine. I'm tired now, though, so I think I just want to relax."

Finnick nodded, understanding, and led her by her hand to the couch. She watched with interest as he grabbed a blue blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders, kissing the top of her head in the process. "Better?" he asked, sitting down next to her. 

"Much better." She snuggled into the soft fabric of the blanket contentedly. "Thank you."

"No problem," Finnick said with a smile. 

"So, we were thinking of inviting the others over for a movie night tonight," Peeta said. "If that's okay with you, Annie."

She shrugged. "Sure, that's fine." Seeing her friends, especially in a quieter setting like a movie, was rarely any trouble. Peeta smiled. 

"Great. I'll go call Katniss."

Peeta walked into his room and softly shut the door behind him. Finnick turned to her and smiled. "Know what you want to watch?"

Annie laughed. "No idea. We should probably get a head start on deciding, though." Jokingly, she added, "It takes you forever to pick out a movie."

He gave an indignant gasp. "Not true! I can't help it that I want to pick something good."

She laughed again and leaned into his side. "At least whatever we decide on will be Finnick approved."

"That means it's the best."

She let out a small hum of agreement. Finnick's body heat and the blanket around her shoulders provided comforting warmth that she was happy to curl into. A tired sigh fell from her lips. 

"Go to sleep, Annie," Finnick said softly into her ear, his warm breath tickling her skin. "I'll be right here when you wake up."

* * *

"Try not to burn the popcorn this time, Finn," Annie said with a slight smile as Finnick prepared the popcorn for movie night. He huffed in mock annoyance. 

"It was one time!"

"And that's one time too many," she retorted. Finnick glared playfully as he put the popcorn in the microwave. She usually didn't care much for popcorn, but her friends had wanted it, and Finnick insisted that popcorn was a movie night necessity. 

The sounds of laughter and distant chatter floated from the living room, reminding her of her friends waiting for the movie. "I'll get the drinks," she said, putting a few glasses on a tray to carry. "Can you get the popcorn when it's done?"

"I can get the popcorn," he replied, kissing her cheek. 

Annie sat the tray of drinks gently on the coffee table, and her friends all reached for their respective drinks. 

"What are we watching?" she asked as she sat down to join them. 

"We can't decide," Madge said, throwing a pointed look at Johanna, who rolled her eyes. 

"Oh, I'm sorry I don't want to watch some romance shit," she grumbled. "I think you and Annie would be the only ones to enjoy that, anyway."

Peeta shrugged. "I'm fine watching anything."

"We know you are," Katniss said, placing her hand on his subconsciously. 

"Who wants popcorn?" Finnick asked, bringing a large bowl of popcorn into the room. He set it on the table next to the drink tray, and several hands reached out for some. She leaned in to him after he sat down on the couch next to her.

"Aren't we supposed to have popcorn when we actually know what we're watching?" Johanna asked.

Finnick shrugged, shoving a handful of popcorn in his mouth. "Popcorn is for any time."

"If we can't decide on a movie, let's just not watch anything," Gale said after a moment. "We can do something else."

Madge laughed. "Like sit here and eat popcorn?"

"Why not?" Katniss asked, reaching for some popcorn of her own. 

"I think we can do better than popcorn," Peeta said. He stood up and made his way to the kitchen, grabbing snacks on his way out. His selection included cheese buns and cookies, which made them all smile. "They're a day old, so they're not as good as they'd be if they were fresh, but we may as well eat them."

"They're great," Finnick said through a mouthful of cookie. 

Despite the fact that the evening didn't turn out exactly as planned, eating snacks and talking with her friends proved to be just as fun as watching a movie. She had to stop bits of cookie from falling out of her mouth when she laughed at a joke of Finnick's.

The evening drew on and she found herself gradually relaxing, as if a weight was being lifted off her shoulders. 

"I'm going to get some hot chocolate," Finnick said to her long after the sun had gone down. "Want anything?"

"How much sugar have you consumed today?" she asked with a playful smile. Finnick shrugged. 

"Not enough, apparently. I think we have tea in there, too, if you want that."

"I'll have some tea," Annie said. "Thanks." Finnick smiled and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze on his way out. Minutes later, he returned with two warm mugs. She wrapped her hands around the mug and inhaled deeply, savoring the scent. 

"You getting us anything, Odair?" Johanna asked, catching sight of their drinks. 

"Sorry," he said, sitting on the couch and resting his feet on the coffee table. "I'm off the clock."

Johanna rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth tugged up in a smile. "So you're getting Annie drinks and not us?"

"Sounds about right, yeah."

Annie laughed softly. "What do you want, Johanna? I can get you something."

Johanna only smiled at her. "It's fine, Cresta, stay with your boyfriend."

She rested her head on Finnick's shoulder tiredly. The tea was beginning to make her feel lethargic and she was content to just sit there and not move. "You want to go to bed?" Finnick asked her.

She smiled softly at him as she responded. "No, I want to stay right here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter was a little later than usual. Some chapters are harder to get out than others, and this one never seemed to come easily. It's more of a filler chapter, which is probably why. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this one. Thank you for reading and all the support. <3


	14. Chapter 14

January drew on in a blurry haze of schoolwork and studying. Winter was a dreary time of year, grey and cloudy, and it didn't help that Annie's workload seemed to be bigger than usual. Life on campus had become monotonous; most days, only the sound of Finnick's laugh or the feeling of his lips on hers could break through the fog. 

However, February was quickly approaching, and with it, Valentine's Day. The holiday had never really been a big deal for her, as she'd never had anyone to celebrate it with, but this year was different. This year, she had Finnick. 

The upcoming holiday seemed to be exactly what they needed to liven things up a bit. Many of her friends were in relationships, and Annie was glad to be included in the festivities. 

About a week before the holiday, she picked Finnick up from his swim practice so they could get breakfast. Although Annie had been to the pool many times, seeing it filled with the swim team transformed the space. Her anxiety spiked a little as she walked through the crowd towards the locker rooms. Inhaling deeply, she tried to get her bearings. 

"Annie," Finnick grinned at her, exiting the locker room. A few other guys glanced at her, but otherwise ignored her. "Ready for breakfast?"

"Shouldn't you put some clothes on first?" she asked, eyeing his swimsuit curiously. Finnick laughed. 

"Why? Do you find this," he struck a provocative pose, "distracting?"

Annie's face flushed, but she smiled. "I'm pretty sure anyone in your general vicinity would find that distracting. Now, clothes, or I'm not buying you coffee."

His lips tugged downward in a mock pout. "Aw, you were going to buy me coffee?"

"Get dressed, Finn," she smiled slightly, pushing him back into the locker room. 

Minutes later, he emerged, fully dressed this time. His hair was still wet from practice, and small beads of water were dripping from his hair and onto his shirt. "Ready?" he asked, pulling on his coat. 

Annie grabbed his gloved hand and they walked the short distance to the cafe. February was still cold, and the remnants of snow left over from January had turned to slush on the sides of the roads. "So," she said as they waited in line. "Valentine's Day's coming up."

Finnick's eyes twinkled. "It is. Any idea what you want to do?"

She shrugged awkwardly. "I don't know. I've never really dated anyone before, so I'm not really sure what couples do for Valentine's Day."

Finnick turned to face her. "You've never dated before?" he asked, surprised. "I don't believe that."

"Are you making fun of me?" Annie asked jokingly. 

"No, not at all. I just find it hard to believe that nobody would have wanted to date you."

She shrugged again. "I wasn't exactly the most interesting person in high school. I told myself that once I got to college I'd start dating."

He nodded. "Well, I think you're the best girlfriend."

Annie laughed and averted her eyes. "Hey, it's our turn to order."

"Annie Cresta, are you trying to avoid the truth?" Finnick asked her, faking a serious voice. "You know what they say about avoiding things."

She sent him an incredulous look as she pulled out her wallet. "No, I don't. What do they say about avoiding things?"

"I don't know," Finnick said distractedly as his eyes scanned the menu above him. "I was hoping you could think of something."

She let out a small laugh but turned her attention to ordering. A few minutes later, she and Finnick were seated at their usual table in the corner with their breakfast. Annie liked the corner table because she could see the whole cafe, and the big window provided natural light and an excellent view. 

"Seriously, though," Finnick said after a few minutes of eating in silence. "I meant what I said, about you being the best girlfriend."

Her face flushed and she focused her attention on her breakfast, picking at her food. "Well, for the record, I think you're a pretty great boyfriend."

Finnick grinned and reached for her hand from across the table. It felt only natural that they were connected in some way, and Annie instinctively curled her fingers around his. "Valentine's Day's on a Saturday, so we have all day to do whatever you want."

"Whatever I want?" she asked. "Isn't it supposed to be about whatever we both want?"

"I want whatever you want."

Annie hummed in acknowledgement. "I see. In that case, I'm really looking forward to sitting at home and reading my psych textbooks all day."

Finnick grimaced, and she laughed. 

"I seriously hope you're joking," he said. "That doesn't sound very festive."

"No, it's not," she agreed softly. "What do couples do on Valentine's Day? Go to dinner?"

"Probably," Finnick said thoughtfully. "We can figure it out."

Annie nodded as she chewed her food. From across the table, her and Finnick exchanged glances, and she couldn't help but smile. 

* * *

Valentine's Day dawned grey and cloudy, as most winter days did, but there was a certain cheeriness in the air. Finnick had no swim practice that morning, so when Annie awoke at eight, he was right in bed beside her. 

She smiled slightly at his sleeping form before carefully climbing out of bed. It felt like Finnick was always doing things for her; planning dates, getting gifts, little thoughtful actions that made her heart melt. It was about time she do something nice for him, too. 

He likely wouldn't be awake for at least another hour, so Annie made her way to the cafe to pick up breakfast. She couldn't cook, and as much as they both loved Peeta's baking, it didn't feel right to ask Peeta to bake for them. Which left the cafe as the only available option. 

In addition to coffee (with plenty of sugar for Finnick) she picked up a variety of donuts. By the time she made it back to the apartment, Finnick was coming out of their bedroom, rubbing the remnants of sleep from his eyes. 

"Morning," he said tiredly. "Are those donuts?"

"Yeah, and coffee," she said awkwardly. "I wanted to do something nice so I thought..." she trailed off. Finnick wrapped his arms around her. 

"It's perfect," he said. "Thank you. I'd kiss you but I haven't brushed my teeth yet."

"Let's eat breakfast first." Annie sat the stuff from the cafe on the table and pulled out a chair. "Where's Peeta?"

Finnick shrugged. "I think he and Katniss are doing something today. Maybe they left early."

She nodded as she bit into one of the donuts. Annie liked sweet things enough, but her sweet tooth was nothing like Finnick's. "Do we have plans for today?"

He shrugged. "I don't think we ever really decided on anything."

"We could go out to dinner. Somewhere quiet, preferably, but I'm going to say right now that you don't need to rent an entire restaurant like you did at Christmas." She was smiling, though, because that memory was a fond one, despite how over the top it may have been. 

Finnick got the message, and he smiled also. "Noted. I guess that means you don't want that private island for a date night?"

"Finnick!"

"I'm kidding," he assured her, laughing at her expression. "Unless you actually want a private island, then I'd make it happen."

"I know you would," she said. "But I don't want a private island."

He laughed. "Okay, guess we need another option." Finnick paused and chewed his food thoughtfully. "Hey, remember that park I took you around Halloween?"

"The night of the party?" she asked. "Yeah, I remember." That night had been a blurred mess of colors and noise, until Finnick showed her a quiet spot by a small lake. It had been cold even in October, but they sat out by the lake anyway. 

"We could go there again. Have a picnic. What do you think?"

"Won't it be cold?" Annie asked. Finnick shrugged. 

"Probably. But we can dress warm. And bring hot chocolate."

"Hot chocolate makes everything better," she agreed with a smile. 

"Meet me here at five," Finnick said, standing up. "I'll handle the food."

He pressed a kiss to her cheek and promptly left the room, leaving Annie sitting at the table. She usually wouldn't go for spontaneous plans like that, but Finnick always had a way of pushing her out of her comfort zone. It was scary sometimes, but it led to good results. 

Despite the uncertainty of the situation, excitement was already thrumming in her veins. 

* * *

Annie twirled a lock of her hair around her finger as she waited for Finnick. She wasn't nervous, exactly, but there was undoubtedly anticipation. She had gotten ready quickly, pulling on a nice dress and a coat in a matter of minutes. Looking good and staying warm were two things that were difficult to achieve at once, but she thought she'd pulled it off okay. 

Realistically, she knew that Finnick would like her no matter what she was wearing. 

Finnick opened the front door just a few minutes before five. He was carrying a basket, presumably of food, and his cheeks and nose were pink from the cold. "Ready to go?" he asked. 

"Yeah." Annie wrapped her scarf around her neck. "Is there anything else I should bring?"

"No, you should be fine with what you have." He outstretched his hand and she took it. The warmth of his hands seemed to leak through her gloves, and she smiled. 

It didn't take long to arrive at the lake, and it looked almost unchanged since they saw it on Halloween. "It's beautiful," she said softly. Her breath came out in a puff of air, visible in the cold. 

They sat down at a picnic table nearby, and Finnick began to unpack the basket. Most of it was clearly meant to be eaten warm, because it was kept in thermoses to preserve the heat. 

"Where'd you get the food?" she asked, eyeing the bread rolls and soup. 

"Peeta made dinner for Katniss tonight and asked if I wanted the leftovers," Finnick answered. He grinned at her and said, "But wait, there's more."

Triumphantly, he pulled out a bag of heart shaped cookies, the icing so immaculate it could only have been done by Peeta's hand. "Wow," Annie said breathlessly, because it was all she could think to say. 

Finnick gave her a soft smile as they ate. The food seemed to warm her from the inside and Annie felt herself grow more comfortable. The environment was quiet and relaxed, and the cookies made Finnick smile so beautifully that she thought her heart might burst out of her chest. 

Eventually, dinner came to a close, and she and Finnick walked back home hand in hand. It was a great night, but Annie was nonetheless glad to be back in the apartment, away from the cold. She sat on the couch and sighed tiredly. 

"Tired?" Finnick asked as he joined her on the couch. 

"No," she said stubbornly. "If I go to sleep that means this night is over, and I don't want that."

He gently tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "The night doesn't have to be over yet." With a gentle softness, he pressed a kiss to her lips. Annie sighed against his lips as they made their way to the bed. 

Finnick was gentle and respectful and everything she could have ever wanted, but when they reached the bed, she pulled away. "Wait. Sorry, I just—"

"Hey," Finnick said softly, sensing her panic. "It's okay. We don't have to go further if you don't want to. Whenever you're ready, Annie."

She looked at him, so loving and kind, and her eyes welled with tears. "What if I never want to do it?" The words spilled out of her mouth before she could stop them. "Finnick, I don't know if I ever want to go further. I love you but I don't think I can give you what you want."

He sat next to her on the bed and took her hands. "I don't need sex from you, Annie. I love you regardless, and I think you know that. I'll be here for you whenever you're ready, whether that's in five years or ten years or not at all."

She sniffled, and couldn't help the surge of guilt that went through her. "I'm sorry, I know I've completely ruined the mood."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I want you to tell me when you're uncomfortable. I want you to be happy."

Annie leaned back on the pillows, suddenly fatigued. "I want you to be happy, too."

Finnick grinned and leaned back next to her. "There are still a few cookies left. We could have cookies and hot chocolate and curl up on the couch with a blanket."

"The blue one?" she asked, already envisioning the fluffy blue blanket that sat on their couch. 

"Of course," Finnick said. "You should come before I eat all the cookies."

Laughing, she joined him on the couch, warm mugs of hot chocolate in hand. The remaining cookies sat on the coffee table in front of them, and Annie reached for one. "Best Valentine's Day ever," she declared, her words slightly slurred from tiredness. 

"I agree," he replied. Annie vaguely thought that strange, because he's dated countless girls before her, and celebrated numerous Valentine's Days before. But her mind was turning sluggish so she decided not to dwell on it. 

"Finn," she whispered a few minutes later. "Maybe we should go to bed now, so we don't fall asleep on the couch."

No response. 

"Finnick?" she asked again. Through the darkness of the room, she could see that Finnick lips had parted slightly, and his breathing had evened out. He must have fallen asleep. 

If she were able, she may have decided to get Finnick to bed herself, but he was larger than she was, and Annie knew she couldn't get him to bed alone. So she curled up beside him, letting his body warm her cold feet, and fell asleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter 14! This one was a little difficult to get started, but once I did, it came out pretty easily. I hope you enjoyed. 
> 
> As always, don't forget to leave kudos or comment if you liked it. Thank you for reading! <3


	15. Chapter 15

Annie pushed her way through the large crowd of people, hoping to find a seat. The smell of chlorine was prominent in the air, and the atmosphere was lively. Still, her chest tightened slightly, and she had to remind herself that she was fine. 

When Finnick had asked her to come to one of the last swim meets of the season, her immediate response had been yes. He usually didn't ask, insisting that she didn't need to come to every one, but he'd invited her this time. She wasn't about to deny the offer. 

It helped that it was a home meet, so the area was familiar to her. Amidst the crowd of people, she was having trouble spotting Finnick, but she let out a sigh of relief when her eyes fell on him a few feet away. 

"Finnick," she said, closing the space between them with a few steps. He gave her a smile. "Ready?"

"I'm always ready," he responded after a quick kiss. "Thanks for coming."

"Of course." Annie's anxiety abated slightly when she saw Finnick's smile. Going to his swim meets got easier the more she did it, it seemed. "So, does Mags ever come to watch you swim?" After meeting Finnick's mother, Annie wasn't surprised that she didn't show up, but Finnick's grandma seemed to be very supportive of him. 

Finnick's smile faltered. "Not really. She hasn't been up for traveling since her stroke. She comes to the ones close to home, though, and she calls me after."

Annie nodded thoughtfully. "Want me to record you and send her the video?"

His eyes lit up. "You'd do that?"

"Sure, if you want," she said with a small shrug. "That way Mags can watch."

Finnick pulled her into a hug. "I think we'd both love that. Thank you."

"No problem," Annie said, smiling at his happiness. "I should go find a seat so I can see you well."

"Wait," he said, reaching for her arm to stop her. "Kiss for good luck?"

She rolled her eyes but turned around to kiss him anyway. Luckily, Annie was able to find a suitable seat so she could record Finnick as he swam. He looked so determined standing at the edge of the pool, ready to jump in. Although the race hadn't technically started, Annie made sure to capture the little bounce he did to prepare his body on camera, too. 

Finnick's dive was effortless and smooth as always, and she found herself entranced by the way he moved through the water. It was almost as though he commanded the water as it carried him along. She inhaled sharply as he pulled ahead, and wondered momentarily if that would be caught on video. 

He won, as she'd hoped, and the cheers were deafening. Annie made sure to record his triumphant smile and they way he looked right at her, like the rest of the world didn't exist. 

Although everyone who participated in the meet was undeniably talented, Annie's mind was focused on Finnick for the rest of the other races. There was something special about him; not only his swimming, but him as a person. Something that made him stand out. 

By the time he emerged from the locker room, hair still dripping, she practically launched herself in his arms. "That was amazing," she gushed, not caring what everyone else was thinking of the display. 

Finnick picked her up in a hug so strong that her feet dangled off the ground. He buried his face in her hair so his next words were muffled. "Thank you. I was thinking of you."

"Yeah? Is that why you won?"

"It's always why I win."

Excited laughter bubbled in her chest. "I got it all on video, too. I think Mags will love it."

Finnick set her down gently. "You're the best, Annie," he said with a wide smile. Hand in hand, they left the pool. 

"I don't understand how you're not practically asleep by now," Annie said on the walk home. "If I swam like that, I wouldn't move for a week."

He laughed. "I feel really energized, actually. I think it's the adrenaline. It'll wear off."

"Can we stop at the store before it does?" Annie asked, as he swung their entwined hands gently. "There are a few things we should pick up."

"Sure," Finnick said. "Let's take the car, though."

The car ride to the grocery store was only a few minutes long, but the walk was sure to take longer, so Annie could see why he didn't want to walk. They walked through the automatic doors of the store and Annie shivered from the cold air. 

"Here." Finnick draped his swim jacket over her shoulders. It hung down nearly to her knees, but Annie wrapped it around herself gratefully. It was warm but it also smelled like him. 

"Thanks," she said, grinning. "Okay, first we need to grab some vegetables."

Finnick wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Can't we go without?"

"You can't survive on sugar, Finn."

He huffed in pretend annoyance, but let her pick out an assortment of vegetables without complaint. "You know, Mags would love that you're getting me to eat healthy food."

"Gotta keep you alive somehow," Annie said as she added groceries to the cart. Finnick reached for a bag of marshmallows, and she raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "What do we need those for?"

"To eat," he said simply. Annie paused, thinking it over, then sighed. 

"Fine. Put them in."

Finnick let out a triumphant shout and added the marshmallows to the cart. Soon, the cart was full, and they went to check out. "Are we going home now?" he asked, leaning against the checkout belt. 

"Finally tired?" she asked as she put groceries on the belt. 

"A little. And I want to call Mags."

"Yeah, we can go home," Annie said with a soft smile. Together, they carried the groceries to the car and drove back to the apartment. Finnick sat down on the couch as soon as they arrived, and pulled out his phone. Annie said a quick hello to Peeta and made her way to their room. 

"Annie got it all on video," she could hear Finnick say on the phone. A pause went by, then, "Yeah, she's really great."

Smiling slightly, Annie stepped into her bedroom and shut the door gently behind her. 

* * *

"You want to go ice skating?" Annie asked days later. Finnick had brought the idea to her attention, much to her surprise. 

"It'll be fun," Finnick said. "A new place just opened up and they have public skate."

"Finnick, it's March," she pointed out. "It's practically spring. Are you sure they're even open?"

"They're open. And it's not practically spring, it just snowed, like, yesterday." He leaned over the kitchen counter, his eyes pleading. "Please, Annie? It won't be fun if you're not there."

Sighing, she said, "Okay, I'll go. Are we inviting the others?"

Finnick grinned. "Already doing that. Leave in ten minutes?"

Annie rolled her eyes. "You're lucky I love you."

"So that's a yes?"

"I'll see you in ten minutes," she answered, stepping into the bedroom to change. Annie hadn't been ice skating since she was a kid, and now that the opportunity presented itself, she couldn't deny that she was a little excited. After changing into more suitable clothes, she joined Finnick back in the kitchen, who was standing with Peeta. 

"Ready?" Finnick asked, smiling when he saw her. She nodded. 

"Everyone else is meeting us there," Peeta said as he wrapped a knitted scarf around his neck. 

"Do you even know how to skate?" Annie asked Finnick as they piled into his car. 

"I'll have you know that I'm great at ice skating," Finnick answered with a smug smile. Annie laughed softly. 

"I'd like to see that."

"And you will, in," he checked the ETA on his phone, "thirteen minutes."

The skating rink was unsurprisingly almost empty when they arrived. Madge and Gale were there with Katniss, already lacing up their skates. Johanna, surprisingly, had agreed to come, although she looked significantly less excited. 

Annie got a pair of skates and laced them up quickly. Finnick was ready even before she was, eagerly waiting to give it a try. "Okay," she said after a few minutes. "I'm done. Now you can show me how great you are at skating."

He reached for her hand as they entered the ice, and Annie felt her breath hitch as the skates slid across the ice. "I've got you," Finnick said, holding her hand tightly. He wasn't half bad on the skates, Annie thought as he glided around easily. 

"I can't believe I agreed to this," she said as she fought to keep her balance. Finnick laughed. 

"It takes some getting used to, but you'll get there."

As they skated, she looked around at the others. Katniss and Peeta held hands just like she and Finnick did, their movements slow and careful at first. Katniss caught on quickly, and it wasn't long before she was gliding around the ice. Madge was surprisingly graceful on skates, and she was able to do more advanced tricks that made Annie's stomach churn. Still, she looked beautiful. Gale was adept, too, and he and Madge spent a lot of time skating together. 

"I hate all of you," Johanna grumbled as she slowly made her way around the rink. Finnick sent her a playful smile. 

"Aw, Jo, you love us."

She sent him a withering glare and Annie couldn't help but laugh. "I'm going to try it on my own," she said, letting go of Finnick's hand. Without him to steady her, she was shaky, but a smile lit up her face when she realized she was actually doing it. 

"Finnick," Annie said, turning around to face him. Finnick beamed back at her. 

"You're doing great," he called back. "Wait, we have to commemorate this moment! Jo, will you take a picture of us?"

Johanna grumbled something that Annie didn't catch, but she accepted Finnick's phone. Finnick skated to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. They turned to the camera and smiled, Annie leaning in to Finnick's embrace. 

"Now we need one with all of us," Finnick said as he took his phone back. "Katniss, Peeta! C'mere, we're taking a picture!"

Annie waved Madge and Gale over and they all stood in a group for the picture. Johanna set the phone on the ledge and set the timer so they could all be in it. Finnick examined the picture with a satisfied smile when they were done. 

He continued to take other pictures, as well. Katniss and Peeta holding hands. Madge gliding across the ice, hair flying out behind her. Annie with her arms extended for balance, shakily making her way forward. 

The rest of their ice skating time passed quickly, and Annie found herself enjoying it. It helped that Finnick enjoyed it too, as he spent time twirling her around the ice, being sure to hold her hand securely. 

"I think I'll be sore tomorrow," she said as she unlaced her skates. "I fell a few times."

Finnick laughed softly. "Want me to carry you to the car?"

"No," Annie said, smiling slightly. "I think I can manage."

Madge joined her on the bench. "So, that was fun. What'd you think?"

"It was fun, I just wasn't very good," Annie replied. 

"You were amazing," Finnick interjected, and Annie rolled her eyes. 

"Of course you'd say that."

"What? It's true." He wrapped her in a hug and Annie grinned. 

"You looked good out there, though, Madge," she continued. "I'm assuming you've skated before?"

"Oh, yeah," Madge said as she pulled on her coat. "I used to go all the time when I was a kid. Feels good to do it again."

Madge waved goodbye as she and Gale left, followed by Katniss and Peeta. Johanna left in her own car, leaving Finnick and Annie standing alone.

"And then there were two," he said jokingly. "Ready to go home?"

"Absolutely," Annie said, her muscles already beginning to ache from the unfamiliar activity. "So, you were actually good at skating, huh?"

"I told you I would be."

"Yeah, but I assumed you were joking."

Finnick laughed and slung his arm over her shoulders, pulling her close. "I hope you're glad you came."

Annie smiled. "I was convinced it was going to be a horrible idea, but I had fun. And I think everyone else did, too."

"Want to stop at the cafe before we go home?" Finnick asked as they got in the car. "I'll pay."

"Sure," she said. "I could use some sustenance after that."

As it turned out, going to the cafe was the right decision. The hot chocolate and donuts were rewarding after the day's adventure. She and Finnick scrolled through the photos they had taken of the trip, and Annie couldn't remember a time when she had felt more at ease. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed! <3
> 
> Also, just so you're aware, updates from here on out will probably come out a little slower. I've been really busy and haven't had as much time to write. I'm thinking they may be closer to once a week. However, we are nearing the end; I think this'll be about twenty chapters or so. 
> 
> Let me know what you thought. :)


	16. Chapter 16

"Ten days to go!" Finnick announced cheerfully at the breakfast table one day in late March. Amused, Annie raised her eyebrows. 

"You're counting down the days?" she asked over a bite of muffin. 

"You're not?"

She laughed. Although winter was barely beginning to thaw and melt away, Spring Break was quickly approaching. Ten days, as Finnick so enthusiastically announced. "I'm excited, though. And I think we could all use a break."

"If only it were warmer," Finnick said wistfully. "Then it would really feel like spring."

Privately, Annie agreed, but she said, "I'm sure it'll still be fun." Finnick nodded. Moments later, her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she pulled it out. Finnick had messaged their group chat about the break. "You're really committed, aren't you?"

"It was my idea," he said simply. "So it's kind of my job."

Annie laughed and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Much to the excitement of their friends, Finnick had offered to host everyone at his cabin on Lake Erie over break. Everyone had agreed to go and, if the excited messages in the group chat were anything to go by, they were quite happy about it. 

Her phone buzzed a few more times with messages, and Annie smiled a little. "I'm going to the library, I've got a paper to write. I'll be back in a few hours, probably."

"A few hours?" Finnick echoed. "That sounds long. Want me to send you encouraging messages?"

"As long as it's not distracting," she said after a moment. 

Finnick grinned. "Me? Distracting? I don't think so."

She laughed as she gathered her books. Although she wanted nothing more than to relax at home with Finnick, she did have a paper that needed written before break. Most people didn't go to the library on weekends, which made that day an opportune time to work there. "I'll see you later," she said on her way out the door, slinging her bag over her shoulder. 

"Have fun," he replied after her, before the door closed. 

As expected, the library was fairly empty when she entered. Annie found a nice quiet desk to work at, and opened her computer. Her mind seemed to wander aimlessly as she typed her paper. With break so close, everyone was distracted, and it appeared that Annie was not immune. As if on cue, her phone buzzed. 

_**Finnick:** Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated._

_**Annie:** Did you find that online?_

_**Finnick:** No, Peeta's inspirational quotes calendar _

_**Annie:** Makes sense lol_

_**Finnick:** Have fun working. See you soon :)_

She looked up from her phone at the sound of a chair scooting out and the gentle thud of books on a table. Madge grinned back at her. "Hey," she said quietly. 

"Hi," Annie said, closing her computer for a moment. "What're you doing here?"

"Studying," Madge said simply, opening a textbook. "Are you excited for break?"

"I thought you said you were studying."

She shrugged and absentmindedly twirled a lock of her hair. "I can do both. So. Finnick's cabin. You been there before?"

Annie cleared her throat awkwardly. "Yeah, uh, he took me there on my birthday."

"Is it nice?"

She smiled slightly. "Yeah, it is. It's right on the lake, too."

"I'll bring a swimsuit," Madge said, grinning. She lowered her head to work on schoolwork and Annie took that as a cue to get back to her paper. They worked in relative silence for a while, until Annie felt her eyes beginning to ache from staring at the computer screen. She let out an involuntary yawn. 

"Tired?" Madge asked casually. 

"I think we're all tired right now," Annie responded with a small smile. It was only mid-morning, nearly noon, but she was feeling the strong desire to close her computer and put away her books. "I think I'm going to take a break."

"Oh, good," Madge said as she looked up from her work. "So will I, then. I'm heading back home for a while. See you later?"

"See you later," she echoed as Madge walked out of the library. Annie quietly packed her belongings. After stopping at the cafe for a much needed cup of coffee (and one for Finnick) she made her way back home. 

Finnick was sitting at the table when she got home, running a frustrated hand through his hair as he stared at the computer. He looked up when he saw her, the tension beginning to melt from his shoulders. "Hey."

"Hey," Annie said, joining him at the table. "I brought coffee. What are you working on?"

Finnick sighed and accepted the coffee gratefully. "Thanks. It's just a last minute paper I have to finish up before break." He took a sip of the coffee and smiled. "You remember my coffee order?"

"Of course I remember your coffee order," she said as she took a sip of her own. The caffeine and the break from working seemed to be doing them both some good. "I think Madge is pretty excited for break. I saw her at the library."

"Is she counting down the days, too?" he asked, eyes bright. 

"I don't think she's that excited," she replied with a small laugh. 

Finnick only grinned at her over his coffee cup. Annie felt something warm bloom in her chest, and something told her that it wasn't from the coffee. 

* * *

Annie carefully folded the last of her clothes into her suitcase and zipped it shut. From inside the bathroom, she could hear Finnick gathering has bathroom supplies, humming excitedly to himself. Their Spring Break trip was in a mere few hours, and Finnick was more excited than ever. Annie found it quite endearing; his near constant smile made her heart flutter every time. 

"I'm done," he said, coming out of the bathroom. 

"You have everything?" she asked him. "Soap? Toothbrush?"

Finnick let out a frustrated sigh. "I knew I was forgetting something." He entered the bathroom again, coming out moments later with his toothbrush in hand. "Now I'm done."

Annie pressed a quick kiss to his cheek on her way into the bathroom. "Are we bringing snacks for the road?"

"Of course we're bringing snacks," Finnick said, packing his own suitcase. 

"Are they anything of nutritional value?"

A beat of silence, then, "Do peanut butter cups count?"

Annie stepped out of the bathroom, a slight fond smile tugging at her lips. "No, peanut butter cups do not count. I'll go see what we have."

She packed a few healthier snacks, and Finnick agreed to eat them as well. "If it makes you happy," he said, "then I will eat them."

She smiled and squeezed his hand. "I think that's everything, then. Ready to go?"

"I've been ready for ten days."

She and Finnick joined everyone else in the parking lot as they loaded suitcases in the cars. 

"This had better be worth it, Odair," Johanna grunted as she hoisted her suitcase into the trunk of her car. Finnick grinned. 

"It'll be great, I promise," he said. 

"Think we'll be able to swim in the lake this time?" Annie asked, recalling her last visit to the cabin. It was her birthday, in November, and too cold to swim in the lake. Although winter hadn't entirely disappeared yet, it was warmer than it had been in November. 

"I don't see why not."

Annie grinned, feeling more excited by the minute. Katniss, too, looked excited about the prospect of swimming in the lake. With everything packed and ready to go, they all got into their respective cars. 

Finnick was driving because he knew the way better than she did, and Annie didn't want to risk messing anything up. He climbed into the front seat and started the car, only for nothing to happen. 

"Finnick?" Annie asked worriedly. 

"It's okay," Finnick said with a comforting smile. "Happens all the time." He tried again and the car whirred to life. "There. All fixed."

"How long have you had this car?" she asked with a slight laugh. Finnick shrugged as he reached for a snack. 

"Since high school."

"And you haven't...bought a new one?" 

"Hey, I like this car," he grinned. Annie shrugged. 

"Alright. But next time something goes wrong, you buy a new one, okay?" she asked. He squeezed her hand, keeping his eyes focused on the road in front of him. 

"I promise." He held out a bag of chips. "Want any?"

Annie rolled her eyes fondly but reached for a chip anyway. "So, what's the plan when we get there?"

"I don't know. Swim, probably. Spend time with you."

She blushed. "We could go kayaking on the lake. The others would probably like that."

Finnick nodded. "Or we could take a boat out there. Mags and I used to do that all the time. We'd make nets and everything."

"You make nets?" she asked, amused. He nodded enthusiastically. 

"Oh, yeah, I was great at it. Maybe I could show you some of my favorite knots."

Annie couldn't stop herself from laughing, because the notion sounded ridiculous, but Finnick looked so genuinely excited that she couldn't doubt his honesty. "You have favorite knots?"

He nodded again. "Of course. See, some are easier to make, and some look or function better." She let Finnick ramble about his nets for a while because his eyes looked so bright. The green of his eyes was entirely captivating, and, if his eyes weren't focused on the road, she probably would have been content just staring at them for hours. 

"I'd love to take a boat out with you," Annie said after Finnick had finished talking. "It's not me you have to convince, though. I think Johanna gets seasick."

Finnick hummed in acknowledgement. "Guess we'll have to work around that."

Things quieted for a while and Annie rested her head on the window, feeling the gentle bump of the car against her temple. It wasn't the most comfortable of positions, but it let her rest her eyes for a moment. 

Finnick's voice brought her back to reality. "We're almost there," he said quietly, as if deliberately softening his voice to make her more comfortable. 

"Good," she said tiredly, sitting up again. "You want to swim when we get there?"

"Is that even a question?"

She laughed and Finnick grinned back. Just minutes later, they pulled into the driveway, with the other cars following suit. 

The cabin was just as beautiful as Annie remembered it. Although it looked different in the spring, it still held the same charm that it had on her birthday. In the distance, the lake outstretched past the horizon. It had been so long since she'd been swimming in a natural body of water, and her body was already tense with anticipation. 

"Race you to the lake," Finnick said, once they had changed into their swimsuits. He took off down the dock and jumped in without thought. Annie followed closely behind. 

The water was blissfully cool and she sighed with contentment. "Swimming in a pool is fine and all, but I think I'll always love natural bodies of water better."

Finnick's head broke the surface of the water, beads of water still clinging to the end of his hair. "I agree. I think it's the fresh air."

"Or the lack of chlorine."

"Or the trees."

Annie laughed. "There are no trees on the beach, and we still like it."

"Okay," Finnick said as he absentmindedly scooped up some water with his hand. "Maybe it's not the trees."

Annie floated on her back, eyes looking up at the sky. She felt the water ripple and saw that Finnick was floating next to her. If she moved her hand only a few inches sideways, they could hold hands. Her fingers brushed his and he grasped back reflexively. 

"Think we should go in soon?" he asked, some time later. "It's got to be close to dinner time, don't you think?" 

"Yeah, I guess so," Annie said slowly, realizing suddenly that she had no clue how long they'd been out there. She and Finnick swam back to the dock and wrapped themselves in towels to make their way back inside. 

Annie felt the cold bite of the air conditioning and heard the bickering of their friends in the kitchen. She sent Finnick a side glance to which he smiled slightly. 

Apparently, nobody could agree on what to have for dinner. Johanna was the first to spot them walking inside. "Damn, did you two grow gills in there?"

"Oh, no," Finnick said over dramatically, bringing a hand to his heart in mock horror. "You've figured it out. I'm secretly part fish."

"I could've told you that," Johanna retorted. 

"Okay, let's talk about dinner," Peeta said, although Annie could tell he was trying not to laugh. 

Suggestions were tossed around but they eventually decided on starting a campfire for hot dogs and marshmallows, which seemed to please everyone. Gradually, the sun began to set, and the sky was painted with hues of pink and orange. The night darkened and the stars came out, beautiful and twinkling. 

"The stars are pretty tonight," she said sleepily, resting her head on Finnick's shoulder.

"The stars aren't the only thing that's pretty," he replied smoothly. Annie buried her face in his shoulder and let out a muffled groan. 

Perhaps it was because she was tired, but the bridge between her filter and her mouth seemed especially weak in that moment. "Why is it that whenever you speak, I fall a little more in love with you?"

"I could say the same to you."

Annie laughed. "Okay, I think we've done it."

He looked at her, bemused. "Done what?"

"Become one of those cheesy couples from the movies."

"You have," Johanna interjected from across the campfire. Madge glared at her pointedly. 

"I think it's nice," Madge said defensively. Annie only laughed softly. 

"So do I."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, sorry this chapter took a little longer to get out. I've been busy and been facing some writer's block due to this story having little to no actual plot, but I managed to finish eventually. At the moment, it kind of feels like I've just been writing a bunch of filler chapters with no actual interesting content, so let me know your thoughts on that. 
> 
> Again, thank you for all the support, and be sure to leave kudos or comment if you enjoyed. <3


	17. Chapter 17

Annie woke up early the next morning, while the sun was still in the process of rising. The wide, expansive windows in their bedroom provided plenty of natural light, but the curtains were closed. Quietly, she climbed out of bed and looked out the window to see beautiful streaks of pink and orange. In bed, Finnick was still asleep. 

She decided to go downstairs after getting dressed in hopes that somebody else would be up. When she arrived, she wasn't disappointed. 

"Hey," Annie said, walking into the kitchen. Peeta looked up from where he was baking something. "What're you making?"

"Hi, Annie," he said pleasantly. "I'm making muffins for breakfast for when everyone wakes up. You can help, if you want. It's fairly easy."

"Oh, I'm not really much of a baker," she said. Peeta nodded. 

"No problem. I think it'll be a while before anyone else comes down here, if you just want to stay and talk."

"Sure." Annie pulled out a chair and sat down. There was something so easy about talking to Peeta. She could see why Katniss liked him. "How's everything with you and Katniss?"

Peeta's hands paused for a moment as he smiled. "It's going well. I think we might want to move in together next year."

"That's amazing," Annie said, grinning. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," he said, still smiling. A beat of comfortable silence went by before he said, "I can make coffee, if you want."

"Thanks, I can do it." She poured herself a cup of coffee while Peeta baked, and they waited for the others to come downstairs. Finnick, to her surprise, was the first to arrive. "You're up early," she said as she accepted his kiss on the cheek. 

"You left the bed," Finnick said by means of explanation. 

Katniss, Gale, Johanna, and Madge all followed shortly after, and they all sat down for a breakfast of Peeta's muffins. 

"What are we doing today?" Madge asked as she sipped her tea. 

"I vote we go to the beach," Finnick said. 

"Of course you do," Johanna grumbled. "You, too, Cresta?"

"Isn't that why we're here?" Annie asked, smiling. 

Madge nodded in agreement. "Sorry, Jo, I'm with Annie. Let's go to the beach."

The others all agreed to go to the beach, and Johanna reluctantly agreed. After gathering everything they'd need for a trip to the beach, they all headed out the door. 

The weather was considerably warmer than the day before, but March in Ohio wasn't yet warm enough to warrant summer clothes. Still, Annie was excited to be in the water. The sun warmed both the sand and the lake, which helped quite a bit, and by the time she made it to the water, beads of sweat were gathering on her skin. 

Annie made her way further into the lake, and for a few minutes, she was entirely alone. 

"Hi." Katniss waded out to Annie in the water, so it was up to her hips. "This is nice. My dad used to take me swimming in the lake by our house."

"That's cool," she replied. "Finn and I both grew up by the ocean, so swimming's second nature by now."

Katniss nodded, eyes focused on the distance, lost in thought. The water rippled around her as somebody else approached. Finnick was by her side, alerting her of his presence by grabbing her hand. "Want to look for shells?"

"Sure," Annie said. "Want to come, Katniss?"

"No, you go ahead."

She took Finnick's hand as they walked back to the shoreline. Careful not to burn their feet, they walked on the part of the sand that was damp from the water, picking up shells and other small objects. 

"My sister and I used to do this all the time as kids," Annie said casually as she examined a shell. "Did you know that you can make jewelry out of them?"

Something shined in Finnick's eyes. "Can you?"

"Yeah." She held up a shell to demonstrate. "See how some shells naturally have small holes in them? Just get a chain or string, slide it through, and you have a necklace."

He grinned. "Did you ever sell them?"

"No, but we should have. We could've made a lot. They weren't incredible, but everybody loves buying things from little kids."

They walked hand in hand on the beach for a while, comfortable silence wrapping around them like a blanket. There was something so inherently relaxing about it; having the water rushing in the distance, the sand in her toes, Finnick's hand clasped in hers. 

"Think we should rejoin the others?" Finnick asked. Annie looked back to see the rest of the group a considerable distance from where they were walking, and shrugged. 

"Not yet," she said softly. "Let's sit here for a little while."

She sat down on the sand, so the small waves soaked her lap. Finnick sat down beside her, cross legged. 

"Want to rent a boat later?" he asked after a beat of silence. The excitement in his voice was evident. 

"Absolutely," Annie said with a grin. "And you can teach me those knots."

* * *

"And then just slide that under, and pull...there you go." Finnick's hands deftly guided her fingers as she finally made the complicated knot he had been showing her. Annie let out a breathy laugh at the accomplishment. 

"You're good at this."

"Well, I've been doing it a long time."

The boat swayed gently beneath her feet, a barely noticeable lull whose existence barely registered unless she thought consciously about it. Now that she was out there, she could see why Finnick liked it. The water turned bluer the further they got out, and the sun bathed the water in warm light, causing reflections on the ripples. 

Madge sat in one of the chairs on the boat, holding out her arms and examining her new sunburn with a pout. "That'll hurt later."

"I told you to put on sunscreen," Katniss said, not looking away from the water. 

"It's cold out!" Madge said defensively. 

Johanna snickered softly from beside Annie. "The sun's still out when it's cold."

Madge only huffed quietly and slathered some sunscreen on her arms. Annie had put some on before they got on the boat, knowing firsthand the agony that is a severe sunburn. 

"Want to learn some knots, Jo?" Finnick asked a moment later. 

"I'd rather not," she replied dryly. 

"Really? It might help with your seasickness."

Johanna sent a pointed look to Annie. "I don't get seasick." Annie laughed quietly, covering her mouth to muffle the sound. 

"Okay," Finnick said, not sounding convinced. He held out a newly formed knot for her to examine. "Annie, What do you think of this one?"

The knot looked small and compact, rather simple, but nice. "I like it," she said. "What's it called?"

Finnick gave her a playful grin. "A lovers' knot."

Her face flushed, and Johanna exaggerated a gagging noise. "Could you two not do that here?"

Annie laughed as Finnick kissed her quickly, pulling away in a moment. Grinning, he said, "Okay, now we're done."

They spent the rest of the afternoon on the boat, watching the water and tying knots and trying not to get sunburned. It had been such a long time since Annie had been on a boat, and the feeling was refreshing, like coming home after a long time away. It wasn't quite the ocean, but she was on the water with the people she cared about, and that was enough. 

With evening came the decision of what to do for dinner, and Annie wished she had a group of friends who was quick and efficient at making decisions. It was difficult, with so many people, to find something to accommodate everyone. Once they had gotten back to the cabin and started the dinner discussion, Annie quietly slipped off to her bedroom for some alone time. 

It was still early in the evening, so she had a few minutes to herself before dinner. The bed looked more warm and inviting than ever, the covers still pulled back from when they had gotten out this morning. When Annie felt the urge to climb in and close her eyes, she didn't try to stop it. 

The door opened slowly minutes later, creaking on its hinges. "Hey," Finnick said softly, walking into the room and closing the door behind him. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Annie said, rolling over in bed. "Just tired."

He nodded. "Okay, well, we're all talking about dinner. Any preferences?"

"Anything's fine with me."

Finnick nodded again and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. "I'll come get you when dinner's ready. See you soon."

"See you soon," she echoed, before leaning back into the bed. 

Annie awoke to a quiet knock at her door. This time, Finnick told her that dinner had arrived. "We got pizza," he said. "I think it's the only thing we can all agree on."

She laughed a little, because that may have been true. Annie walked into the kitchen, and Finnick lingered in the bedroom for a moment, before followed her. The pizza was pretty good, and Annie found herself enjoying the night. Clearly, the rest had done her some good. 

Dinner was a casual affair, eaten at the table inside the well lit cabin. When dinner was drawing to a close, Finnick stopped her before she left, brushing her arm with his fingers slightly. "Hey, come to our room for a few minutes? I have something for you."

Annie raised her eyebrows, curious, but followed him to their bedroom without saying a word. He opened a drawer in his bedside table and pulled out a delicate chain. "Here."

She let out a soft exhale when she caught sight of the gift. A pretty seashell hung from the silver chain. Not just any seashell, but one of the many they had found at the beach that morning. Which meant that Finnick must have made the necklace whenever she wasn't looking sometime that day. "Finnick," Annie breathed, touched by his thoughtfulness. "I love it."

Finnick smiled. "Good. Here, I can put it on you." She let him gently sweep her hair from her neck as he fastened the clasp. When it was done, he beamed. "It looks great on you."

"I love it." She wrapped her arms around him tightly and just held him. "Thank you."

"I'm glad. How about we go join the others? I hear we're making s'mores."

"We made s'mores last night."

He laughed. "We're doing it again."

"Isn't that too many s'mores?" Annie asked on their way out the door, greeting the others by the campfire. The night air was crisp and cool, and she pulled her sweater tighter around herself. 

"There's no such thing as too many s'mores," Finnick said, sitting down. At these words, Peeta raised his toasted marshmallow in the air in agreement. 

The flickering of the campfire brought life to the dark night, and Annie found herself wishing, for a moment, that she could stay in that day forever; the beach, the water, the campfire. Finnick. There was something so wonderfully special about it all, something that made her heart feel full. 

Annie knew, of course, that school would resume eventually, and that she and Finnick and everyone else would return to their regular routines of classes and studying and trips to the cafe. Still, it was nice to pretend for a few days that that world was just a vague dream, or almost didn't exist at all. 

"What are you thinking about?" Finnick's voice shook her from her thoughts and she turned to him. 

"Just that I wish we could stay here forever."

"If we stayed here forever," he laced their fingers together, "then we'd never go back to school or swim in the pool or go to the cafe again."

"I guess not," she responded with a slight laugh. "But this is nice."

"It is." A beat of silence, then, "It's nice because you're here."

"Really?"

He smiled softly, the fire illuminating his face. "Yeah. It's nice wherever you are."

She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed. "I love you," Annie said, because she couldn't think of any other words to describe the warmth in her heart. 

"I love you, too."

"Hey, Odair," Johanna called from across the campfire. "You're just letting you're marshmallow burn?"

Finnick had been letting his marshmallow hang loosely in the fire as he and Annie talked, and the fire had burnt it to a crisp, the edges nearly disintegrated. "I think this one's ruined."

"I dare you to eat it," Johanna said, grinning. 

"What are we, twelve?" Gale asked from his place next to Madge. 

"Can't say no to a dare," Finnick said, and popped the whole thing in his mouth.

"How is it?" Annie asked, amused. 

"Sticky," Finnick replied, his words coming out muffled. "And hot."

She laughed at his expression, his nose scrunched in distaste. It would have made a good picture if there was any light to see with. "Aw, you have marshmallow on your mouth." Annie took a spare napkin and wiped it away gently. 

"What would I do without you?" he asked once all traces of the marshmallow were gone. 

"Spill food everywhere, I'd guess."

They both dissolved into childish laughter that didn't abate until nearly ten minutes later, which, in Annie's opinion, was the best kind of laughter. Finnick wrapped an arm around her and she leaned into his side, still wiping the last of her tears from laughing away. The fire popped and sizzled, and Annie contentedly let its heat wrap around her like a comforting blanket. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Let me know your thoughts, I love to hear them.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading and all the support. It means so much to me. <3


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for blood in this chapter.

"Are we all packed up?" Finnick asked as he and Annie examined the trunk of their car. It was time to return to campus, and although the break had been nice, she was glad to get back to her routine. 

"I think so," she said after a pause. "Everyone ready?"

Their friends all gave nods of affirmation, and they began the drive back to school. It started out smoothly, and despite Finnick's previous car troubles (although he assured her multiple times that it was fine), Annie felt relaxed. 

"I can't believe the school year's almost over," Finnick said as he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "That was our last break of the year."

She nodded, contemplative. "I know. At least we still have one more year of school, though. I don't know what I'm doing after that."

He laughed softly. "Neither do I. Although I've kind of always wanted to try—"

The car jolted to a stop, and Annie felt her breath quicken. "Finnick?"

"Wait, we need to pull over—"

It almost happened too fast for Annie to register. The car behind them crashed into theirs, pushing the two of them forward, right into their front window. Annie instinctively covered her face with her arms, hoping to minimize the damage. A sharp sting on her arm told her that she must have been cut, but Annie's mind went immediately to Finnick, who let out a small groan beside her. 

"Finnick!"

He lifted his head and winced, but all Annie could make sense of was the blood beginning drip from his temple and down his face. Panicked, she tried to wipe the blood away, as if that might solve the situation altogether, but it only succeeded in caking her nails and fingertips in crimson. 

"You're bleeding," she said, her breath coming in uneven gasps. 

"So are you," he said, reaching for her arm. She had only just noticed the blood languidly dripping down her arm and settling in the creases of her palms. 

"You're bleeding," Annie said again, because her mouth couldn't seem to form any other words. 

Their friends had pulled over and gotten out of their cars. "I'm so sorry," Madge said frantically as they arrived. "The car stopped so suddenly, and—oh, just wait here, I'm calling 911!"

"It's okay," Finnick said softly to her. "It looks worse than it is, I promise."

"I'm supposed to be the one comforting you here," she laughed weakly, glad to have found words again. 

"You're comforting me just by being here," he said. Then, "Maybe we should get out of the car."

"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere else?"

Finnick reached for her bloody hand. "I'm fine, Annie. Hurts a little, but I'm fine. What about you?"

"I—I don't know. My arm, I guess, but other than that, I think I'm fine."

They climbed out of the car gingerly, finally able to survey the damage. "Guess it's time to get a new car now, huh?" Finnick asked with a slight smile. 

"I can't believe you're making jokes right now," Annie said. Privately, though, she thought his humor gave her a sense of normalcy that was very desperately needed. Their friends gathered around them in a show of support, but Annie's heart was still beating so erratically that it was hard to focus on anything else. Her vision blurred and somebody's hand rested gently on her shoulder. 

"Breathe with me, Annie," a voice said. "In and out."

Annie tried to steady her breathing as the voice instructed, and was mildly successful. Regaining her senses, she saw it was Finnick who was guiding her. She wanted to say something, anything, but she couldn't seem to find the words. Her hands were still shaking, and Finnick steadied them with his own. 

"Shit, Annie, I'm so sorry about this," he muttered, eyes downcast. 

"Not your fault," she managed. The sound of sirens pieced the air and she followed numbly as she and Finnick were led onto an ambulance. 

The ride to the hospital was a blurred mess of colors and sounds. Whenever she closed her eyes, she could still see Finnick, motionless at the wheel, blood dripping down his face. It wasn't a pretty image, and it kept her from getting any sleep. 

The last thing Annie remembered before slipping into unconsciousness was Finnick being wheeled away on a hospital bed. 

* * *

"Hey." Johanna sat down beside Annie on one of the hard plastic chairs in the hospital's waiting room. "How are you holding up?"

She shrugged mutely. After the cut on her arm had been cleaned and bandaged, she was sent back to the waiting room. Finnick was still in there, and so far, Annie had no idea how he was doing. 

"He'll be fine, you know," Johanna continued, after it became apparent that Annie wasn't up to speaking. "Nobody else was hurt. Gale and Madge, it was their car that crashed into yours. They're shaken but fine."

In her panic, Annie hadn't taken notice of how their other friends were handling everything. 

It was then that she took notice of her friends scattered across the waiting room. Katniss and Peeta slept quietly on the chairs, Katniss' head resting on Peeta's lap. Madge and Gale were sitting beside each other, hands clasped and wearing troubled expressions, not able to sleep. 

"I don't know if he's going to be okay," Annie said finally, her voice breaking. "Nobody's told me anything, and I can't sleep because I just see—" She shook her head, unable to continue. Her fingers curled around her seashell necklace that she had yet to take off. 

Johanna, though, got the message and nodded. She held out a coffee cup. "Want some coffee?"

Annie accepted the coffee and sighed. "This just feels like it came out of nowhere. I'm still processing."

"Could be worse," Johanna said with a small shrug. "Nobody was seriously hurt, and Madge and Gale's car is still functioning, which means you won't have to deal with any legal bullshit."

She let out a watery laugh. "Thanks, Johanna."

Her friend gave her a rare smile and went to go sleep somewhere. Annie took a sip of the bitter coffee, feeling the buzz of caffeine and adrenaline. The plastic chairs were hardly ideal for sleeping, and Annie didn't think she could get any sleep even if she tried. Distorted images of the accident were permanently ingrained in her eyelids. Finnick's bloody face and the crimson soaking her hands were all she could see. 

What could have been hours later, a doctor came out to update them on Finnick. "He sustained minor injuries," the doctor began. "The cut on his face required stitches, and it's too early to see if it will scar. Other than that, he's in good condition. I can take one of you in there to see him now."

They silently agreed that Annie would be the first to see him, so she quietly followed the doctor as he led her to Finnick's room. 

"Annie," he said as soon as she entered the room. Finnick was sitting up, the blood from earlier cleaned and gone. The cut was more visible without the blood obscuring it, and she could see that it started at his temple and went in a diagonal line down his cheek, stopping a few inches before the corner of his mouth. 

"I'm so glad you're okay," she said, sitting on the bed and reaching for his hand. 

"I'm glad you're okay," Finnick replied, smiling somehow despite everything. His expression turned serious. "They told me my face might scar."

"I heard," Annie said softly. "You know I love you no matter what you look like."

He pressed a kiss to her mouth. "I know. I love you, too. How's your arm?"

"Fine. They bandaged it, said it wasn't severe enough for stitches."

Finnick nodded. He was silent for a moment, then said, "I know you're okay physically, but are you okay...you know, mentally?"

Annie's smile faltered. "I—I'll get through it. I'll be okay."

"I know you'll be okay," he said. "But is there anything I can do for you in the meantime?"

She shook her head, struck by his thoughtfulness. "I feel better knowing you're okay. Do you know when you can leave?"

"I think they want to keep me overnight, then I can go. We'll have to go to the hospital near school to get the stitches out, though."

Annie nodded and sighed, suddenly overcome with fatigue. Finnick ran his fingers through her hair, and she sighed again. "Do you think they'd mind if I rested here for a little while?"

"If they try to make you leave, I'll sue," Finnick said, trying to sound threatening, but only succeeding in making Annie laugh. 

"You wouldn't," she insisted with a smile. 

"I might," Finnick said, which made her laugh again. "No, you're right, that's probably excessive. But you can sleep here." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

"Love you," Annie mumbled tiredly. 

"Love you, too."

* * *

Over the next few days, life seemed to return to normal. They went back to school, Finnick finally bought a new car, and classes resumed. The only thing reminding Annie of the accident was Finnick's stitches. That, and the reoccurring nightmares. 

She rolled over in bed, sheets damp with sweat. Sleep was more elusive than ever now, with flashes of the accident still fresh in her mind. Beside her, Finnick stirred. 

"Go back to sleep," Annie whispered. "I'm fine."

"Did you have a nightmare?" he asked. 

"It's okay now, Finn. Go to sleep."

Still, he was insistent. "Do you want to talk about it?"

The nightmares were difficult to describe. They were never about the accident as she remembered it. In some versions, she looked over to see Finnick slumped against the steering wheel, blood pooling around her hands as she felt for a nonexistent pulse. In others, glass shards from the windows were embedded into his face, and he died in her arms before the ambulance could arrive. 

"You were dead," she began slowly. "We crashed and I looked over and you weren't breathing." Tears pricked in her eyes and Annie let them fall freely, too tired to wipe them away. Finnick wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. 

"We're safe now," he said gently. Carefully, he took her trembling hand and guided it to his heart, so Annie could feel the gentle thrum of his heartbeat beneath her fingertips. "Here. You feel that?"

Silently, she nodded. 

"Okay, we'll count. Ready?"

"One," she began shakily at the first beat of his heart. "Two."

"Three, four," Finnick continued, as his heart beat again and again. 

Annie didn't know how long they counted before she fell asleep again, only that by a hundred and fifty, she could feel her eyes slide shut. 

When morning came, she was feeling more rested than she had in days. She poured herself a cup of coffee in the kitchen. 

"Hey," Finnick said, shuffling tiredly into the kitchen. "That coffee?"

"Yeah," Annie said, sliding the coffee pot to him across the counter. "I have therapy this morning, so I guess I'll see you later?"

Slightly more awake, Finnick nodded. "Yeah. Good luck."

Annie smiled and made her way to Dr. Aurelius' office. She hadn't been to therapy since the accident, so it wasn't hard to assume what the topic of conversation was going to be. Her therapist welcomed her in and she told him about the accident. 

"I'm sorry that happened to you, Annie," Dr. Aurelius said solemnly once she was done. "You said you've been having nightmares. Do you want to elaborate more on that?"

"I dream about the accident, but it's not how it actually happened," Annie said, shifting in her seat. "Something always goes horribly wrong, like Finnick is more hurt than he actually was."

The doctor nodded. "What you went through was a traumatic experience. Seeing someone you love injured like that can be horrifying."

"But it wasn't that bad," she protested weakly. "It was a small cut, he's fine. I know he's fine. But my brain can't seem to get the message. And I just wake up and think he's dead, and I don't know why I'm not over it by now. Everybody else is."

"Everybody reacts to things differently," Dr. Aurelius said. "There's no right way to react to trauma. You don't need to be over it, Annie. Regardless of what everyone else may or may not be feeling, this is how you're feeling, and that's not in your control. You can, however, control your response. So tell me; you've woken up after a nightmare. What do you do?"

"I check to make sure Finnick's okay," she said automatically. 

"And when you see that he's alive and uninjured?"

"Sometimes that's all I need, and I can go back to sleep. Sometimes he wakes up with me and helps calm me down," Annie said. "And other times, it takes longer for me to know what's real and what's not real."

Dr. Aurelius nodded and adjusted his glasses. "Next time you have a nightmare, I want you to try something different for me. List all of the things you know to be true. Start with your name, age, location, then move on to details about the accident. Ask Finnick for clarification if you need to."

Annie nodded. "And things'll get clearer with time?"

Her doctor smiled. "Exactly. The goal is to help orient you to your surroundings. Eventually, you should be able to wake up and know immediately that everything's okay."

"I can try that," she said slowly. It didn't sound too difficult. 

"Good," Doctor Aurelius said, smiling. "I'll see you next week, Annie. Good luck."

Annie left the office and went back to the apartment to find it empty, which wasn't surprising. Finnick and Peeta probably both had class, so she settled on the couch with her favorite blue blanket and let herself rest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was an eventful chapter. I was struggling with some writers block and really just wanted something to mess up their routines a little bit, and this is what came of it. This was foreshadowed a little bit, so it's not entirely out of the blue, but it definitely can feel that way, especially for the characters. Let me know what you thought about everything that went down in this chapter, because I really enjoyed writing this one. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for future updates. We're nearing the end! :)


	19. Chapter 19

With April came the long awaited arrival of spring, and Annie was relieved to feel the warm weather again. It seemed like winter had drawn on far longer than necessary, so when the last of the snow was replaced by rain, she couldn't help but smile. 

She and Finnick walked hand in hand to the cafe, their boots splashing in the puddles on the sidewalk. Water sprinkled gently on their shared umbrella as they made their way into the cafe. 

"I'm glad it's dry in here," Finnick said once they arrived inside, putting the umbrella away. Little drops of rain that managed to evade the umbrella still clung to his hair.

"So am I," Annie said, peeling off her wet coat with a sigh. "I haven't dealt with this much rain in a long time."

She and Finnick sank gratefully into the chairs at their corner table. Rain streaked the windows and the clouds gave the outside a vague foggy appearance. "Do you think it could flood?" Finnick asked. 

"I'm sure it happens sometimes," Annie said, shrugging. They ordered their coffee and she curled her fingers around the mug as soon as it arrived. "I don't think you need to worry, though. If it floods, you can just jump in the puddles."

Finnick's lips twitched in a playful smile. "Annie Cresta, are you calling me childish?"

"You said it, not me."

He smiled again. The expression pulled on his scar from the accident slightly. The stitches had been removed and left behind a puckered line on his face, like a crack in a porcelain statue. The doctors had said that the intensity of the scar would reduce over time, but at the moment, it still looked so fresh. Privately, Annie thought it made him look more human, even if she got flashes of the accident if she looked too long. 

"Annie?" Finnick's voice brought her back to reality. "What's going on?" His eyes traced her line of vision, noticing her gaze resting on the scar. The accident was something of a touchy subject, even weeks later; they had yet to have a real conversation about it. 

Not that it was a lack of care on Finnick's part. Annie just couldn't bring herself to recall the events of that day. No, the fault for their lack of communication rested solely on her shoulders. 

"Sorry." She averted her eyes, focusing instead on a piece of wood in the table. "Just zoned out, I guess."

Finnick's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "I know it looks bad now," he said, not needing to clarify exactly what he was referencing. "But the doctors said it would fade with time, so it won't look like this forever." He smiled, but there was a sad undertone to it, and something in her ached at the sight. 

Annie shook her head. "It's not that. You know I don't mind how it looks. It's just that it reminds me of that day, and seeing you hurt..."

She let her voice grow quieter and eventually trail off. Finnick reached across the table for her hand. "Did you know that sometimes I wake up and have to make sure you're still breathing beside me?" he asked, eyes serious. 

Her eyes snapped up. "What?"

"It's true. I know it could have been a lot worse, but I can't stop thinking that it's my fault. That if I had done something differently, maybe you wouldn't be in pain."

Her voice caught in her throat, and a small cry built in her chest. "Finn, it wasn't your fault. None of us could have predicted that would happen."

"I know," he said with a dry laugh. "I just want you to know that you're not alone in this. That I remember that day, too."

By all accounts, it was a sad conversation, the two of them bonding over collective pain. Still, though, Annie's eyes welled with tears at the validation of her worries. The knowledge that not only was she not alone in her feelings, but Finnick, one of the strongest people she had ever met, was going through the exact same thing. There was a small beauty in solidarity in sharing an experience, even a bad one. Like light filtering in through the cracks. 

"You never told me that," she said after a moment, voice thick with tears. Finnick only shrugged. 

"I didn't want to concern you with it."

"You help me through my nightmares every time," Annie said. "The least I can do is help you with this. We help each other, remember?"

He squeezed her hand gently. "Yeah. It's one of the many things I love about you."

"Many things?" she prompted, indulging herself in a rare moment of praise. 

The mood lightened, Finnick grinned. "Of course. There's your kindness, and your strength, and beauty, and we're both from the ocean, so that has to count for something—"

"I got it," Annie said, laughing as she interrupted his ramble. "For the record, I love all of those things about you, too."

He leaned across the table, closing the distance between them. "Yeah?"

"Mhm," she hummed against his lips, not caring for once that they were in public. "That, and so much more."

* * *

"Annie." Finnick's voice roused her from sleep and she rolled over in bed with a groan. "Wake up. This is important."

"What?" she asked groggily. The sun streaming through the windows and leaking through the curtains told her it had to be morning already. Annie smiled slightly as she realized she had yet another full nights' sleep without a nightmare. She was making progress.

"It's sunny." Finnick looked like he had just rolled out of bed, in his pajamas and his hair still tousled. Still, he looked undeniably happy for someone who just woke up early.

"Astute observation," she retorted, not seeing the point. Finnick's excitement didn't falter. 

"It's sunny for the first time in a week," he stressed. Annie sat up in bed, grasping the meaning. 

They had been going through a bit of a rainy patch, and she was beginning to think that the sun was never going to appear again. Constant rain made her drowsy and lethargic, but sunlight livened her. "Oh," she said, standing up and peering out the window. Not only was it sunny, but the sky was blue and cloudless. "Maybe this means the rain's gone."

"It means more than that," Finnick said. "It means we can go outside today."

"Okay," Annie said casually. "Sure." Finnick's eyes widened slightly, and he looked like he was one step away from grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her until she understood the magnitude of the situation. Clearly, this was important to him. Her smile brightened. "Finn?" she asked lightly. 

"Yes, Annie?" he asked, trying to appear nonchalant. 

"Do you want to do something fun outside today to celebrate the fact that it is not currently raining?"

His eyes lit up. "Finally! Okay, so I was thinking we could go to the park or have a picnic or—"

"How long have you been up?" she asked him, raising her eyebrows. Finnick shrugged. 

"Five minutes, probably."

Annie laughed. For someone who detested waking up early, Finnick could get a lot of thinking done in the first five minutes of his day. "Okay, park and picnic, I like that. Any other plans?"

"Well, we should invite everyone else," he said thoughtfully. "The year's over in a month, and we probably won't see each other all summer."

"Right," Annie said as she began making their bed. "Think everyone'll come?"

"Of course. It's sunny."

"You really like the sun, don't you?"

Finnick grinned. "After a week of clouds and rain, yes."

She laughed and they devoted some time to getting ready for the day. Finnick excitedly texted the group chat and was met with equally enthusiastic responses, much to his delight. "I'm surprised we all actually agreed on something," Annie said.

"Well, Jo was a little reluctant, but we told her there'd be lots of trees there."

Annie hummed in acknowledgement as she and Finnick went to the kitchen for breakfast. The sun bathed the floor in warmth and light, and it was a welcome change from the dreary rain. They finished breakfast quickly and made their way outside to wait for their friends. 

Finnick spread his arms out wide when he got outside, and Annie looked at him incredulously. "What are you doing?" she asked. 

"Feeling the sun."

Another pair of footsteps came up from behind her, followed by a voice. "Should have known it was you, Odair, based on that stupid pose."

Johanna eyed Finnick with a incredulous glance, and Finnick dropped his arms and grinned at her. "Aw, you should try it, Jo."

"No, thanks. I've got enough idiots hanging around me today, I don't need to be one of them."

Annie laughed softly. 

The others filtered in shortly after Johanna, everyone excited to be outside without an umbrella. The sky was blue and clear, and the mood was light. Peeta and Katniss carried baskets of food for their picnic lunch. The park was only a short walk away, and Finnick insisted they walk to enjoy the sun more. 

"I hope Peeta brought cookies," Finnick said, falling into step beside her. Their fingers entwined seamlessly and without thought. 

"He probably did," Annie said, looking to the front of the group where Peeta was walking. "We all know how much you love sugar."

"Everyone loves cookies."

She laughed. "You, especially."

The park was crowded when the arrived, and although Annie expected it to be, she couldn't help the twinge of anxiety she felt. There was nothing particularly fear-evoking about a park full of people, but sometimes her body reacted in ways disproportionate to the situation. Her fingers curled tighter around Finnick's, and he gave her a sweet smile in return. 

They settled down with their lunch and ate languidly, taking their time. It was Sunday, so nobody had class, and Annie had nowhere to be. The feeling of having no obligations was a relaxing one, and the pleasant weather certainly succeeded in making the day better. 

"Cookie?" Finnick asked, offering her a chocolate chip cookie. His mouth was turned upward in a slight smile. 

"Looks like you got your wish," she said, grinning as she took a bite. The chocolate melted in her mouth and she sighed contentedly. "So, we're out in the sun. What now?"

"We can do anything," he replied confidently. 

"That doesn't narrow it down."

Finnick laughed a little. "Okay, how about we go walk around?"

Annie furrowed her eyebrows. "Walk around?"

"Yeah, explore a little."

She considered the idea. Lunch had long since ended and everyone had dispersed, electing to do their own things. Walking with Finnick sounded nice, and everyone else was probably too preoccupied to notice their absence. "Okay," she said after a moment. 

His smile brightened and he outstretched his hand, helping her to her feet. The park had a few walking paths, some she'd never been on before. "What do you say we go somewhere new?" Finnick asked casually as they walked. 

"Do you have any idea where you're going?" Annie asked as they turned onto another path. Finnick shrugged. 

"No idea. That's the fun part, right?"

She laughed softly. With anyone else, she would be wary of the idea. But with Finnick, everything felt a little easier, less scary, more effortless. "Guess so. I wouldn't know much though, I don't usually do this kind of thing."

"All the more reason to make this special," he declared, entwining their fingers. "Wait, do you hear that?"

A brief moment of silence enveloped them, and for a second, everything was still. Annie strained her ears for whatever Finnick had heard, and grinned. It was faint, but it was there; the consistent rush of running water. "What do you think it is?" she asked. "Creek? River?"

"Waterfall?" Finnick added conversationally. She laughed as the excitement built in her chest. And based on Finnick's wide smile and bright eyes, he was excited, too. "Let's follow it."

Being careful to make their steps as quiet as possible, they followed the sound of the water until they reached a clearing. The sound had gotten louder and Annie was able to see the source. "You were right," she breathed, taking in the sight. 

A waterfall flowed down a small mountain of rock, spilling out into the stream below. "How did we not know this was here?" Finnick asked softly. "Let's take a picture."

He pulled out his phone and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. They both smiled into the camera with the waterfall in the background. The leaves of the trees rustled in the wind, and the sunlight glinting through the forest canopy painted the perfect picture of spring. 

"Beautiful," Finnick muttered in awe, examining the picture. 

Annie had turned to face the waterfall again, admiring the way the water rushed over the rocks. "Yeah, it's really pretty."

There was a glint in his eye and a playful smile on his lips when he responded. "I wasn't talking about the waterfall."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here's chapter 19. We're only a few chapters away from the end now, which feels crazy, but it's so close. Right now we're looking at about 21 chapters plus an epilogue, so stay tuned for that in the next few weeks. I (finally) entered the chapter amount so you all can see it, but it's still susceptible to change if I decide that I want a different amount. But I think 22 chapters is probably going to happen. 
> 
> Not sure how I feel about this chapter, but it's more of a transition to where I want to go from here. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this one, and thank you for reading.


	20. Chapter 20

Annie sighed as she set her heavy bag down, relieving her aching shoulder. Finnick waved at her from where he was sitting on the couch, books and papers spread across the coffee table. 

"Hey," he said. "How did studying go?"

"It was fine," she replied, sinking into the couch cushions tiredly. Finals were only a few weeks away, and everyone was trying to cram in as much studying as possible before then. "I'm tired, though."

"Me, too," Finnick agreed, shutting his computer. "Want to take a break?"

She grinned. "What do you have in mind?"

"Nothing strenuous, because we're both tired," he began with a small smile. "We could sit here and watch a movie." He grabbed their favorite blue blanket and wrapped it across her shoulders. "Or just talk."

"I'm fine with anything that involves sitting here and not moving."

Finnick laughed. "Wait here."

Moments later, he returned with two mugs of hot chocolate, joining Annie on the couch. "Thank you," she said, wrapping her fingers around the warm mug. "What do you think we should drink when the weather's too warm for hot chocolate?"

"Asking the important questions," he said, laughing. "I don't know. Iced tea, maybe."

"Or lemonade."

"Chocolate milk," Finnick grinned. At her incredulous look, he said, "What? It's like the cold version of hot chocolate!"

"I guess so," she said with amusement. A beat of comfortable silence passed. "It's crazy to think that the school year's almost over."

Finnick nodded and reached for her hand. "I know. That means we've been together, like, seven months now."

Annie sighed, voicing the question that had been tugging at her mind for weeks. "What about the summer? We live on opposite sides of the country."

He hesitated and looked down. "I was actually thinking about applying for a few summer internships."

The news was exciting but Finnick looked downcast. Annie put down her mug and turned to him. "Finn, that's great! What are you thinking about doing?"

"I haven't done anything yet," he said hastily. "I wanted to make sure it was okay with you first. There's this gym in New York that holds different classes, including swimming, and they're looking for people to teach there over the summer."

"And you want to do it," she finished softly. 

"Not if you don't want me to," he said. "Because New York is far away, and I'd understand if you'd rather I don't go. I haven't even applied."

"Of course I want you to go," Annie said, fighting off her conflicting emotions. He was right, New York wasn't exactly close, but she wasn't going to hold him back if he wanted to go. "If this is what you want to do, then I support you."

Finnick smiled widely. "Thanks. And there's not even a guarantee that I'll get in."

"You will," she assured him. "They'd be stupid not to take you."

"What about you?" he asked a moment later. "Any plans for the summer?"

Annie sighed. "I don't know, I haven't really thought about applying for anything. I don't even know what I want to do yet."

"That's okay. We still have next year."

She hummed in agreement. The afternoon sun glinted off the windows and warmed the room, lighting it up pleasantly. "What if you do go to New York?" she asked, trying to keep her voice even. Beside her, Finnick sighed. 

"I guess we'll just have to figure it out if it comes to that," he said softly. "But don't worry. We'll figure it out. If you want to stay at home, I'll call you every day."

Annie laughed slightly. "Every day? Won't that be expensive?"

"Can't put a price on love," he said playfully, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. 

"And we'll text all the time," she added. "And I'll come visit."

"If I get in," Finnick said.

"Which you will." She imagined him teaching swimming lessons to a handful of children, splashing in the water as children did. Finnick was good with kids, she knew, and especially good at swimming. It was a good fit for him, professionally and emotionally. It was hard to imagine him doing anything else. 

"Maybe you can help me teach," he said jokingly. 

"I'm horrible with kids," Annie countered, shaking her head. 

"I don't know about that. You deal with me okay."

She laughed, bright and happy, and rested her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, I guess so. I'd love to watch sometime, though."

"You will." Finnick wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "It'll all work out, I promise."

* * *

It wasn't until a few weeks later that the reality that the year was ending began to set in. Between studying for her upcoming final exams and waiting to hear back on Finnick's internship applications, Annie found herself constantly thinking. 

"Have you seen my psych book?" she asked one morning, shuffling papers around on the table frantically. 

"No," Finnick said, stepping out of their bedroom. "Want me to help you look?"

Annie sighed and sank onto the couch, weariness settling into her body. "I was hoping to get some work done today."

"It's alright," he said gently, sitting down next to her. "Hey, let's go do something to take your mind off of school for a while. You could use a break."

"I don't know," she said, uncertainty pooling in her stomach. 

"The books will still be here when you get back." Finnick stood up and held out his hand for her to take. "And you don't want to burn yourself out. Let's go for a swim, alright?"

A smile tugged at her lips. She hadn't been to the pool in weeks, and the idea sounded appealing. Taking Finnick's hand, she said, "Okay, I guess we can."

The pool wasn't particularly crowded but it wasn't empty, either. She settled into her old swimming routine as naturally as breathing, and she welcomed the feeling. Finnick swam laps in the lane next to her, cutting cleanly through the water. Entranced, she watched him swim as she sat on the edge of the pool.

"What are you looking at?" Finnick asked, joining her at the edge. 

"You," Annie answered, and felt the blush spread across her cheeks moments later. Finnick laughed.

"Feeling any better?" he asked. Annie nodded. 

"Yeah," she replied honestly, glad that it was true. The swimming helped, of course, and seeing Finnick swim didn't hurt, either. "We can stay here a little longer. I don't have class today."

"Good," Finnick said, smiling. He took off into the water again and Annie followed in her own lane, letting the water scoop her up and carry her along. The exercise was repetitive and methodical, and somehow exactly what she needed. 

They wrapped up their time at the pool about an hour later, and Annie and Finnick walked back to the apartment. She could feel her muscles ache with each step, but it was the good kind of pain. The ache was refreshing, and told her she'd done something good.

Finnick checked the mail box as soon as they got back, as he had been doing for days. "Annie," he said breathlessly. "It's here."

She fell into step behind him. In his hands, Finnick held the letter that would decide the next steps of their future. The letter from the gym he had applied to. "Open it," she encouraged softly. 

Carefully, he peeled open the envelope and scanned the contents of the letter. A hesitant smile broke out on his face. "I got in," he said, laughing. "I got in!"

"I knew you would." Annie pulled him in for a kiss as they opened the door to their apartment. "Congratulations, Finn. I'm proud of you."

"What happened?" Peeta stood up from where he was sitting on the couch, glancing at them curiously. 

"I got accepted for the internship I applied for," Finnick said, still shocked. Peeta, too, smiled at the news. 

"That's great," he said. "Want to invite everyone over to celebrate?"

Finnick sent an inquisitive glance her way and she nodded. The days they had left to spend with their friends before the summer were limited, and Annie could feel them slipping through her fingers like sand. 

"I'll text everyone," Finnick said, visibly excited, and Annie smiled at him. His excitement had a way of being contagious, and it wasn't long before she was eagerly awaiting the arrival of their friends. 

Katniss and Johanna arrived first, with Madge and Gale coming in a few minutes later. Peeta loitered in the doorway as Katniss arrived and Annie pretended not to see the quick kiss they exchanged. 

"Who's grabbing the champagne?" Johanna asked as they all settled into the living room. "What?" she asked as the others gave her incredulous glances. "We're celebrating, aren't we?"

"I'll get it," Peeta said, and returned moments later with a bottle of champagne and glasses. Annie watched intently as he poured, watching the bubbles fizz in the glass. 

"To Finnick finally leaving," Johanna announced, raising her glass.

"To Finnick," Annie echoed, grinning at him. The champagne was sweet and tickled her throat as it slid down, and she laughed a little. 

The atmosphere was friendly and light, and they had cleared the coffee table of books and papers. Instead, various snacks adorned the table.

Finnick's internship had brought up summer plans for everyone, and Annie listened as her friends detailed how they were going to spend the next three months. To her relief, she wasn't the only one without plans. Johanna was simply going back home, too. 

"I'm spending my summer helping out at a local theater," Madge was saying. "I think they want me to play piano." Beside her, Gale squeezed her hand. 

They ordered pizza and sat on the couch to watch movies, enjoying a rare moment of free time. Nobody mentioned final exams or studying, and Annie was grateful for that. Her mind was tired and needed a break. She could resume her academics tomorrow.

"Hey," Finnick said, dropping onto the couch next to her after eating a few slices of pizza. "How're you doing? I feel like we haven't talked in a while."

"We talked a few hours ago," Annie said, puzzled. Finnick gave her a smile. 

"Exactly, it's been a while."

She laughed softly. "I'm doing fine. It's just weird to think that in a few weeks, we'll all be scattered across the country."

"Yeah," Finnick agreed, his eyes scanning their group of friends, relaxed and happy. "But we're all here together, right now. Let's focus on that."

She nodded, knowing he was right. "What about you? Still excited about the internship?"

"Of course," he said with a bright smile. "I think it's a good fit for what I want to do and where I want to go. The downside is that we won't get to see each other often."

"New York is far away, and I need to be home," she said slowly. As much as she wanted to spend the summer with Finnick, moving to somewhere she'd never been wasn't exactly feasible for her. "But I promise to visit."

"I know you will." Finnick kissed her cheek softly. "Okay, want to take a picture?"

"You always want to take pictures," Annie said, laughing. 

"It's for the scrapbook," Finnick responded, and she felt her heart swell. The scrapbook she'd given him for Christmas had been continuously added to, with Finnick taking pictures at every happy moment. Seeing the book so full of good memories always cheered her up.

"Okay." Annie smiled at him, heart full. "Then I guess I can make an exception."

He pulled out his phone and they all gathered for the photo, smiles wide. Annie kept her smile long after Finnick put the phone down, the warmth of love coursing through her veins. Finnick held out his phone so she could see the picture. 

"See?" he said, eyes shining. "It'll fit perfectly next to the waterfall picture."

Without warning, she flung his arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder. "You're the best."

Finnick held her tight. "I could say the same about you."

"I'm going to miss you when you leave," Annie continued, voice muffled from his shoulder. He rubbed soothing circles onto her back. 

"I'm going to miss you, too," Finnick said gently. "But I'm not gone yet. See? I'm right here."

Her fingers clutched at his shirt, as if looking for evidence that he was right there in her arms. Annie wasn't sure where the sudden burst of emotion had come from. "Sorry," she muttered, pulling away. She tried to ignore how her friends looked at them.

"You have nothing to apologize for. I've been wanting to do the same thing all night."

Annie let out a watery laugh and curled up by his side. "We'll be okay, won't we?"

"Oh, for sure," Finnick said, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Yeah, we're going to be just fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're so close to the end, everyone. One more chapter after this and then the epilogue! I honestly can't believe it. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reading. <3


	21. Chapter 21

"So close," Finnick said one week in late May, draping his body dramatically on the couch. "Only one more exam left."

"Good for you," Annie said, trying not to laugh. "I'm done."

"Not fair."

She smiled slightly and stood up from the chair in the living room. There had been a bittersweet feeling to the week, their last week on campus before the summer. Everyone met the break with a general elation, but for some, summer meant the separation of friends or couples. "Well, you're almost done. When is it?"

"Tomorrow," he said, sitting up. His lips twitched in a slight pout. 

"It'll be over before you know it," she said, but her voice caught in her throat, and it didn't sound as optimistic as it was meant to. 

Finnick sent her a concerned glance. "Hey," he said gently, reaching for her hands. "Is this about the internship?"

Annie shrugged, trying to ignore the tears threatening to well up in her eyes. She'd always cried easily, ever since she was a child. People used to make fun of her for being too sensitive. Now, she could see what they meant. Hastily, she used her palms to wipe away the tears that weren't there. "I don't know. I mean, yes, I don't want you to leave. But it's not just that. It just feels like everything's changing."

Finnick nodded and pulled her into a hug. "I get it. But we'll be back here soon enough and we can figure out a more permanent plan for the future. And, in the meantime, I'll call you every day when I'm gone."

"Really?" she asked, a hint of a smile on her lips. "You won't be busy?"

"I'm never too busy to talk to you. I'll call you so often that you'll be sick of my voice."

Annie laughed. "I could never be sick of your voice."

"Just wait," Finnick said playfully, their hands still intertwined. "You will be by the time summer's done."

"Doubt it," she retorted, feeling better already. Changes in her routine always made her anxious, but having something steady and constant relieved her, at least a little. It wasn't so much the summer that scared her; she'd gone on summer break plenty of times, after all. It was that she was leaving Finnick for three months. 

"On the bright side," Finnick said, grinning. "It's finally warm outside. And you get to go home to the ocean."

She imagined the waves breaking over rocks and the taste of the salty air and smiled. "That's true. Too bad New York is landlocked."

He hummed in agreement. "Well, I'll just have to come visit you, won't I?"

Annie smiled and pressed a quick kiss to his mouth before pulling away. "You should pack your stuff. You're leaving in three days, so we can at least start gathering our things?"

"You mean I can't put it off until the last hour and then quickly shove everything in my suitcase?" he asked jokingly. "Well, there goes my plan."

"Come on," she laughed, grabbing his hand and leading him to their bedroom, already in the beginning stages of moving out. She'd begun to pack non essential things away into boxes, various decorations and items they didn't need on the daily. Her eyes fell on the scrapbook, the one she'd gotten Finnick for Christmas. Pages bursting with life, it sat quietly on the dresser. 

"Who's taking the scrapbook?" he asked, following her line of vision. 

"Well, it's yours," she replied, her voice sounding strangely stricken to her ears. "You should take it."

"It feels like both of ours," he countered. "It doesn't feel right for me to take it."

"Okay," she said, trying to keep her voice even. "How about one of us takes it for half the summer and the other one takes it for the other half?"

Finnick smiled softly. "Sounds good. Want to pack it now or leave it out?"

Her eyes lingered on the scrapbook, full of memories. "Leave it out," she said softly, nearly a whisper. "Don't pack it yet."

* * *

Annie's leg bounced restlessly as she sat on the couch in Dr. Aurelius' office, a steady rhythm that only she could hear. It was her last session before returning home to California, and they made an agreement to talk over the phone over the summer before she returned back to campus. 

"What's on your mind, Annie?" he asked, eyeing her curiously. 

"Finnick's leaving," she replied, mystified at how easy the words spilled out of her. "He's taken an internship in New York over the summer and I'm going back home so we won't be able to see each other."

Her doctor nodded, contemplative. "I see. Well, your concern is understandable. Are you worried?"

"No," Annie said honestly, surprised at her certainty. "I know we'll be fine. I'm just upset that we won't get to see each other."

She was struck by how true that was. Yes, Finnick was leaving, and yes, that made her upset, but she wasn't worried. Long distance didn't go well for everyone, but every couple is different, and there's no guarantee that long distance will fail them. 

"I'm glad you're not worried," Dr. Aurelius said, smiling. "And I'm sure you and Finnick have talked about ways to keep in touch. Calling, texting, that sort of thing."

She nodded. "We have."

"It'll be difficult, Annie. But I have confidence in the both of you."

"Thank you." Annie smiled and stood up, preparing to leave. "I do, too."

The warm weather greeted her like a hug as she stepped outside and made the walk back home. The light breeze blew through her hair and she laughed softly. Annie reached her apartment and opened the door, sinking into the couch with a tired sigh. The remaining days on campus were trickling away so gradually that it had just hit her that there were only a few left. 

Finnick was in their bedroom, packing up his stuff. "Hi," he said, brightening as she walked in. 

"Hey," she replied with a small smile. "Wow. So we're really leaving soon."

"Yeah." He folded a shirt and put it into his suitcase. "But we'll be back."

Her phone buzzed with a text at the same time that Finnick's did, and they read it together. Madge had invited everyone to her and Gale's apartment to celebrate the semester ending, and as a last gathering before the summer. "We should go," Annie said, and Finnick nodded in agreement. 

"Definitely. Want to bring something?"

"Like what?"

He opened the pantry and scanned its contents. After a moment, he looked at her with a satisfied smile, holding up a bag of marshmallows. "These."

"Seriously?" she asked, biting back an amused laugh. 

"Yes. Everyone loves marshmallows."

Annie laughed and rolled her eyes fondly. "Okay, at least we know someone will eat them."

They made their way to Madge and Gale's apartment, Finnick insistent on not forgetting the marshmallows. They were the last ones to arrive, and everyone greeted them with excited smiles.

Johanna was the first to notice them. "There you are," she said from her place on the couch. "What are those for?" She pointed to the bag of marshmallows still clutched in Finnick's hand. 

"For the celebration," he answered with a grin. Johanna rolled her eyes. 

"I don't know how Cresta puts up with you."

Annie laughed as Madge invited her to sit down on the couch. Considering the circumstances, everyone was fairly happy, which she was glad for. "We'll have to call each other, too," Annie said to Madge as other conversations continued around them. Katniss and Peeta sat together on a couch while Johanna and Gale had an animated conversation about something she wasn't paying attention to. 

"We definitely will," Madge responded, eyes bright. 

The day was simultaneously long and short; it seemed to draw on forever but also slipped away like water through her fingers. Perhaps it was because she was a sentimental person, but Annie clutched Finnick's hand the entire time, and even insisted they take a picture before they all went their separate ways. 

"Will you send the picture to me?" Peeta asked her once they had taken it.

"Send it to all of us," Madge added. 

"Sure," Annie said as she sent the photo. Finnick peered over her shoulder and caught sight of her lock screen.

"Aw, Annie," he said, voice soft. Her lock screen was a picture of Finnick by the waterfall from the park, smiling widely at the sight, eyes bright with candid happiness. It was one of her favorite pictures and a nice sight to see whenever she turned on her phone. "Your lock screen is me."

"Don't make fun of me," she said, trying to hide the blush that had spread across her cheeks. "Because I'm pretty sure I'm on your lock screen."

He kissed her cheek. "Of course you are."

She smiled and intertwined their fingers. When she squeezed his hand, he didn't hesitate to squeeze back. 

* * *

"Are you sure you have everything?" Annie asked as her fingers patted around his jacket pockets, checking for anything he may have forgotten. Finnick reached for her hands, stilling their movement. 

"I have everything I need," he assured her. "Everything's okay."

"I know," she said breathlessly. "I know. I just can't believe you're actually leaving. It's all so real now."

Finnick nodded. "I know. But I'll visit, and you can visit me. We'll still see each other, I promise."

She wrapped his arms him, fingers grasping at his jacket. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you more," he said, smiling. Annie shook her head and buried her face in his shoulder. 

"No, you won't."

They stayed like that for another few seconds before Finnick pulled away. He gave her a sad smile. "Hey, it's okay," he said gently. "This is a good thing, remember? We both get to focus on our futures, and when we go back to school in the fall, we'll be better than ever."

Tears pricked in her eyes. "You think so?"

"I know so." 

"When you get back," Annie began, "I'll be waiting right here with a big sign that has your name on it, so you know where to find me."

He raised his eyebrows, amused. "I look forward to that moment," he said, his smile melting her heart a little. Finnick's flight was announced over the intercom, and they both jumped slightly in surprise. "Guess I need to go. Say hello to the ocean for me, will you?"

"Yeah, I will," Annie said, a stray tear sliding down her cheek. He turned to leave but she grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around, not ready to separate just yet. Her lips met his desperately. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

With those final words, Finnick turned and boarded the plane, and Annie stood there until even his silhouette was invisible. She wasn't sure how long she stood in the airport, somehow feeling incredibly isolated even as the mass crowd moved like a sea around her. All she knew was that for some time, she stood there, alone and distant, until she finally made her way back to their apartment. 

Annie wasn't due to fly back home until the next day, but going back to the apartment without Finnick there felt strange and out of place. Still, she opened the door slowly and carefully, not surprised when she was greeted with the empty vacancy of the apartment. 

Peeta had packed up and gone home the day before, so Annie's stuff was all that was left in the apartment. Although she knew she'd be coming back in only a few months, there was a certain twinge of nostalgia already settling into her mind. 

"It's okay," she said aloud, even though nobody was there to hear her. "It's only temporary."

Annie wandered around for a little while, her fingers tracing gently along the walls, memorizing the feel of the apartment. It was her and Finnick's first home together, and even though they would likely be moving out in another year, it still held sentimental value to her.

Still, Finnick's words continued to echo in her ears. The change was a good thing. They were improving their lives, even if it made her nervous. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out. 

_**Finnick:** Taking off now. Love you <3_

_**Annie:** Love you too, have a good flight_

_**Finnick:** I'll call when I get there_

_**Annie:** I'll be waiting. _

She put her phone away with a sigh before going into their bedroom to pack the last of her stuff up. Nearly all of her belongings sat in suitcases or boxes, waiting to be transported back to California for the summer. There was something so glaringly empty about the apartment that Annie was suddenly glad she wouldn't have to stay there much longer. 

In an attempt to pass the time, Annie looked out their bedroom window down onto the walking path below, watching the people pass by. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are so, so close to the end. Only the epilogue left now. I won't say much for now because I'll save that for the final note later, so I'll just say thank you for reading and for the support. <3


	22. Epilogue

"Don't forget to call us." Annie's mother took a step back and examined her, suitcases in hand. Finally, it was time to return back to campus after a long summer, and the excitement was already beginning to build. 

"I won't," she assured her mother with a smile. She hugged her parents goodbye, as they stood on the front porch. The hot August sun beat down on her shoulders and beads of sweat formed on her neck. The air-conditioned car waiting at the end of the driveway was starting to feel more inviting than ever. 

"And tell Finnick we say hello," her dad added. Annie's heart fluttered just at the mention of Finnick's name. They called every day and texted twice as often, but it didn't feel like enough. Even the brief visits, while it had been great to see him again, felt like they passed too quickly for either of them to appreciate. 

"I'll let him know," Annie said. "I'll call when I get there, okay?"

"Sounds good." Her mother's smile was sweet and she thought for a moment about just how much she would miss her parents while at school. 

Still, there was only so long that they could prolong goodbyes, and Annie found herself in the car driving down to the airport in a matter of minutes. Her flight to Ohio took off hours earlier than Finnick's, because she was due to greet him at the airport when he arrived.

Annie had never been particularly fond of flying, and the day seemed to pass agonizingly slowly. It was only a matter of time before she would greet Finnick at the airport when his flight came in. 

Right now, Finnick was on a plane to Ohio, waiting to greet her at the airport. Her eyes instinctively flitted up to the sky. Finnick was up there, at that moment. A part of her wondered if he was looking down out the window and thinking of her. 

Annie glanced at the seat next to her as the car drove over a pothole. Next to her, Finnick's sign was jolted a little, and her hand reached out to steady it. She wasn't sure if Finnick even remembered about the sign she promised him when he returned, but that didn't stop her from making it. It was cheesy and probably looked horrible, but knowing Finnick, he would love it. 

Paying the cab fare, she walked into the airport, her own suitcases in hand, and sat down to wait. Her eyes scanned the crowd, entertaining the improbable hope that Finnick had arrived early, but she didn't see any familiar faces. 

After what felt like years but was probably an hour at most, her eyes fixated on a head of bronze curls. He looked up and caught her eye, and Annie would recognize those eyes anywhere. "Finnick!"

"Annie!" came the enthusiastic shout back. The crowd seemed to seamlessly part as Finnick ran effortlessly through, and was by her side in seconds. "I missed you," he said, before closing the distance between their lips.

His arms were warm and familiar, and Annie felt right at home in them. They didn't pull away until people started to stare. "I missed you, too."

Eyes bright, Finnick asked, "What's that?" He pointed to the sign that read his name in big, flashy letters. Annie's face flushed red, realizing suddenly that the sign was probably a stupid idea. 

"When you left," she began softly, "I said I'd make you a sign for when you came back."

"I remember." His eyes scanned the sign as his lips tugged up in a smile. "You never told me you were an artist."

"I'm not," Annie responded. "It doesn't look very good."

"It looks perfect," Finnick said, and pressed another light kiss to her mouth. "Because you made it."

Laughter bubbled in her chest. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Ready to go home?"

Annie took his hand. "I've been ready for three months."

* * *

The apartment was empty when they arrived, which didn't surprise her. Classes didn't start until the next week, so people had plenty of time to get to school. Annie walked in slowly, savoring the moment. "It's nice to be back."

Finnick nodded. "Can't wait until it's less empty, though."

"We'll fill it up," she replied, her fingers tracing lightly over the counter top. Being back in their apartment felt right, comfortable. Peeta hadn't arrived yet, so it was only the two of them there to fill the empty space. 

"When everyone else gets here," Finnick said, "we can invite them over."

"Do you know when they're coming?"

"Sometime between now and when classes start," he said with a shrug. Annie laughed softly. 

"Well, we can start unpacking, at least."

They spent the next hour making the place feel like home again, decorating and putting clothes away in dressers. It felt therapeutic, like putting everything back exactly where it was supposed to go. At some point, Finnick pulled out the scrapbook, setting it gently on the coffee table. Annie paused what she was doing and gently shuffled through the pages. 

In addition to the pictures that were in there when she'd given it to Finnick, they'd added more. Pictures of them drinking coffee at the cafe, a picture of them at the waterfall, a candid photo of Finnick smiling widely as he taught a swim class over the summer. "Nice pictures," Finnick said, peering over her shoulder. 

"Yeah," Annie replied softly. "They are."

His arm wrapped around her and she leaned in without thinking, having missed his touch. Hearing his voice over the summer had been nice, but it didn't compare to holding his hand or hugging him. 

"It's good to be back here," Finnick said softly, his breath tickling her ear. "Want to go to the cafe while we wait for the others?"

Annie grinned. "We should definitely do that."

The walk was short and exactly as she remembered it. She had been gone for three months but it many ways, it felt like she had never been gone at all. The feeling was welcome, though, because slipping back into her old routine felt like slipping on a familiar pair of comfortable, worn shoes. 

The August heat made getting a hot chocolate not an option, so Annie settled for a smoothie instead. They sat down at their corner table with blissful smiles. 

"Remember the first time we came here?" Finnick asked after a moment. 

"Yeah," she replied with a small laugh. "It was our first date."

Vivid images of sugary coffee and Finnick's bright smile flashed in her mind. For a fleeting moment, she was brought back to the previous year, her relationship with Finnick still in the early stages. 

"I'd been to this cafe so many times before that," he began, "but it wasn't special until I shared it with you."

Annie's face flushed, but she laughed. "Have you always been this cheesy or did I forget over the summer?"

"You probably forgot," Finnick responded with a playful smile. 

"I wonder how much the human brain can forget in three months," she mused quietly. He grinned back. 

"You tell me, you're the psych major."

She laughed at that, relaxed and happy and feeling right at home. "I suppose so." She drank her smoothie in silence for a moment, letting the fruity flavors settle on her tongue. 

Outside the window, people passed by, carrying luggage or hugging friends. The sun shone brightly above, making the window warm to the touch and bathing the floor inside in warmth. Finnick squeezed her hand from across the table, but said nothing. 

He didn't need to. 

It isn't until a few hours later, when Finnick and Annie had made it back to the apartment, that the door opened again. Peeta walked in, his hair slightly longer and curlier at the tips, but looking otherwise unchanged. Katniss followed him inside and gave her a smile.

Finnick and Peeta embraced as Katniss joined her on the couch. "Hey," Katniss said. "So. We're back."

"We're back," Annie echoed with a smile.

"Heard from anyone else yet?" Katniss asked as she watched Peeta and Finnick reconnect. 

"Not yet," she said, pulling out her phone. "But I'll tell the others to meet us here when they're ready."

They sat on the couch, chatting about summer endeavors, while they waited for Madge, Gale, and Johanna to show up. Johanna showed up with a bottle of wine and a slam of the door. 

"Guess we're all back, huh?" she asked, eyeing them all as they sat on the couch. Finnick smiled brilliantly and, in an exaggerated motion, wrapped his arms around Johanna. "Get off me, Odair."

Annie bit back a laugh at her friend's disgruntled expression. Finnick pulled away a moment later, looking satisfied with himself. 

Madge and Gale were the last to arrive. It was evening by the time they made it through the door, arms piled high with pizza boxes. Grinning, Finnick helped them carry the pizza to the coffee table and set it down for everyone to grab.

"Here," he said, passing her a plate with two slices of pepperoni pizza, just how she liked it. 

She kissed his cheek. "Thanks."

"What should we do tomorrow?" he asked everyone around a bite of pizza. "We have days before classes start."

"I don't know about you," Madge began, "but I think I'm going home and sleeping for twelve hours."

Johanna nodded. "Same. You all can call me in two days."

"What a warm welcome, Jo," Finnick said, hand over his heart. "I feel so appreciated."

Annie looked at Johanna for a moment, a fond smile tugging at her lips. Johanna looked at her incredulously. "What are you looking at, Cresta?"

"Nothing," she said softly, averting her eyes. "I just missed you, that's all."

* * *

The next morning dawned bright and clear, the sunlight filtering through the curtains. Annie rolled over in bed, fingers stretching out to find empty sheets. It wasn't like Finnick to be up early, especially not on a day that he didn't have class. Rubbing the remnants of sleep from her eyes, she groggily climbed out of bed. 

Her first instinct was to look for Finnick, but she didn't have to wait very long. A clatter in the kitchen followed by a muffled noise of frustration alerted Annie to where he might be. 

"Finn?" she asked, peering into the kitchen. Finnick faced away from her, but turned around at the sound of his name. "What are you doing?"

His smile was soft, a little abashed. "Making pancakes. Well, I was trying to."

The kitchen, in its disheveled state, had various bowls as well as pancake batter strewn across the counter. Finnick only looked down at the mess in front of him calmly, his eyes flickering between her and the counter. 

Laughter bubbled in her chest as she caught sight of the mess in the kitchen. "I think we should clean this up before Peeta sees."

"We probably should," Finnick agreed, his eyes scanning the kitchen. Then, "Mags always used to make pancakes for me on the first day of school. I know classes haven't started yet, but it's our first full day here, so I figured I'd give it a try."

"I appreciate it," she said as she wiped the counter down. "It's a nice idea, Finn."

"Just poorly executed," he finished jokingly. 

"Maybe a little."

They cleaned the kitchen silently for a while, save for the sound of the towel against the counter. The clock read eight o'clock in red, glaring letters. 

"You know," Annie began thoughtfully after a few minutes. "It's still early. We could try again."

Finnick smiled brightly. "I hope you know how to make pancakes better than I do."

"I can certainly try," she said. 

Thankfully, the second batch of pancakes turned out exponentially better than the first. "They made it onto the pan," Finnick said triumphantly as the pancakes began to cook. "So that's already a step above my attempt."

"I'm sure yours would have been wonderful," Annie countered. He laughed and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"You say that because you haven't tasted them."

By the time they were done, they ended up with a plate piled high with mediocre pancakes, delicious only because they had made them together. At some point, Peeta wandered into the kitchen, glancing around the room curiously. 

"It looks surprisingly clean considering the two of you just made pancakes in here," he said. Finnick and Annie dissolved into childish laughter but never told Peeta what was funny. 

"If only he knew," Finnick whispered conspiratorially into her ear. Then, a little louder, "Have a pancake, Peeta."

"Did you make them?" 

"No, Annie did."

"Well, in that case," he took a pancake from the plate and chewed thoughtfully. "Not bad. I'm going to meet up with Katniss, so I guess I'll see you later."

"Okay, have fun," Annie said with a smile. "I'll try to keep Finnick from destroying your kitchen."

"Hey," Finnick said in mock offense. "It's nice to know you think so highly of me."

"You were the one who made the mess to begin with," she replied with a small smile. He huffed, but the smile tugging at his lips showed that he wasn't really annoyed. 

"Okay, you've got me there."

The morning passed in a haze of laughter and pancakes, the both of them quickly settling back into life on campus. Still, around noon, they began to grow restless. The morning had been relaxing but she could tell that Finnick was itching to move. 

She couldn't deny the excitement when Finnick outstretched his hand for her to take. "Annie," he began, "want to go for a swim?"

Smiling, Annie took his hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was difficult to write, maybe because I know it's the last one. 
> 
> So, this is it. We've reached the end. I'll try to keep this note brief but knowing me, it'll end up being really wordy anyway. 
> 
> I can count on one hand the number of modern au Odesta-centric stories that I've read, and for me, that's far too little. I've always loved their dynamic in a modern context, and while Finnick and Annie feature in many Hunger Games modern au stories, they aren't the main pairing. I really wanted to try writing one, because I know there aren't very many. This was my first attempt at straying from canon so heavily, but it was a welcome challenge and one that I enjoyed immensely. 
> 
> On that note, I think it's worth mentioning that this project was extremely self-indulgent for me. I basically wrote whatever I wanted, and I'm aware that this probably won't be the best, most thought provoking fic you'll ever read. It's not the most intricately plotted and it doesn't have the most fleshed out characters. And that's okay. It doesn't need any of those things. Ultimately, I wrote this for fun, because I love these characters. I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. 
> 
> As far as a continuation of this story goes, I left the ending open so I could write more if I ever felt the desire to. Please let me know if you want to see more, either a sequel or if there are specific one-shots you want to see. I can't promise anything, but I'll do my best. 
> 
> If you liked this fic, you can reblog [this moodboard](https://the-sun-and-the-sea.tumblr.com/post/626375259331969024/i-know-that-some-people-make-these-for-their-fics) on Tumblr or come visit [my Tumblr](https://the-sun-and-the-sea.tumblr.com/). I'm totally open to hearing your thoughts on there if you want to send me an ask or a message. 
> 
> Finally, I want to thank all of you for your support. Every hit, kudos, comment, bookmark, and subscription means the world to me. It makes me so happy that there are people out there who enjoyed this fic. I appreciate every single one of you. 
> 
> Be sure to leave kudos or comment if you enjoyed, and as always, thank you so much for reading. <3


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